Deep Descent
by Chameleon777
Summary: The sequel to 'Sunrise of Changes.' What is real and what is simply an illusion that was made to appear real? The unexpected is always waiting to surprise someone.
1. A World So Cold - December 17, 2006

_**December 17**_

_**Miami, Florida**_

The old Devil's Mansion had become dilapidated and dust-filled since Bernard's death, but the police were no longer interested in the place. Until now.

Even though Emily was still in Vegas for the forseeable future, she had hired a crew to go through the mansion and see what components were salvageable and could be sold before demolishing the structure in the new year. Emily planned to donate the salvageable items to Habitat for Humanity and to bury the memories in her mind.

Now, however, the old torture chamber was a crime scene and a body was laying in a pool of blood that was also spattered on the walls, the torture table where John Boscorelli had once been waterboarded, and all over the garish looking tools and furniture that littered the basement. Several bullets also littered the floor.

Horatio, Calleigh, Eric, Jesse, Walter, Frank, Alexx, and Dr. Stokes were all on the scene, having been alerted by the workers Emily had hired. Calleigh focused on gathering bullets, Walter worked on trace, and Jesse worked on photographing while Horatio supervised and watched Alexx and Dr. Stokes examine the body.

Natalia was supposed to work that day, but Horatio had explained the significance of Devil's Mansion and how Robert's daughter had been imprisoned there not long before her death. Wisely, Natalia had chosen to stay home with Robert and the boys and was keeping them busy and keeping him from thinking of the mansion too much.

The thought of Sergeant Stetler possibly being missing over the Christmas holidays and leaving his family worrying was on Calleigh's mind as she silently gathered bullets from the bloodstained floor. It was bad enough that Vegas was having trouble holding on to Sam Braun, as he had made bail and was protesting his arrest, but with Rick now missing, there was only evidence to put Sam away for his crime.

Calleigh suddenly noticed that Eric had stopped working and she couldn't help but walk over to him, "You okay?" she asked softly, noticing he was looking at the table.

Eric sighed, "I helped find Marisol, Ellie, and Kylie," he replied softly. "And this is where John Sullivan ended up after he escaped the hospital I brought him to…"

Calleigh looked thoughtful, "That's why Natalia isn't here, I gather," Eric spoke in a quiet voice. "Maggie was held in this house and Detective Caine knows about…"

"Yes," Calleigh replied softly. "Horatio wanted Natalia to stay with Robert today."

Eric nodded and suddenly frowned as he looked at the floor, "A badge," he said softly, his worry growing as he saw it was an MDPD badge. "Horatio, that's Stetler's…"

Horatio quickly walked over to them as Eric photographed the badge, "It's Stetler's badge," Eric explained in a concerned voice. "What's it doing here in this mess?"

"Rick was obviously here, but where is he now and is he alive?" Horatio replied.

* * *

_**Manhattan, New York**_

It was cold out and Bosco found himself walking David and Ellie to school after leaving Danielle, John, Caira, Michael, and Emily at home making Christmas food and watching Christmas shows. Sully and Yelina had taken Ray Jr. to school themselves and were now out getting Christmas presents for the family with Nicolas.

"Dad, do we have to go to school?" David whined as he stopped at a park that was near the school and got his inhaler out. "The cold's making me feel yucky."

Bosco frowned and immediately stopped, "The cold's making you feel yucky?" he asked in a concerned voice. "Have you been feeling yucky since we left home?"

David sighed, "No, but I feel like I'm gonna puke now," he replied softly.

Bosco sighed and quickly brushed the snow off of a nearby bench, "Sit," he ordered in a concerned, firm voice as he got his phone out. "Ellie, can you sit with David?"

"Is David having an attack, Daddy?" Ellie asked worriedly as she sat down.

Bosco sighed again, "Hey, this is Boscorelli," he said into the phone. "I'm near the Fulton Street School and my son's having problems with his asthma. Send a bus."

"It's cold," David whined. "Dad, please, can we go inside somewhere?"

Bosco muttered into the phone that they would be at the school and then hurried David and Ellie down the street to the school. Once they were inside, Bosco sat David down on a bench, "Ellie, go to class," he said firmly. "Do you know where to go?"

Ellie, however, didn't move, "It's the schoolwide party today and that's in the gym," she replied in a quiet voice. "Is the ambulance gonna take David to a hospital?"

Just then, Maggie Davis and a uniformed Ty came out of the central office and Ty froze at seeing Bosco there, "Hey, David's having problems with his asthma cause of the cold and I told the ambulance to come here. I know school's in session…"

"That's fine, Sergeant Boscorelli," Maggie replied calmly. "Ellie, I think Kylie's waiting for you in the gym. She said you would be buddies for the party."

Ellie nodded, "Sergeant, why don't you and Ty go see if the ambulance is here yet and I can sit with David?" Maggie suggested. "I don't mind."

Ellie promptly went to the gym while Bosco reluctantly followed Ty outside, "I've been meaning to talk to you and apologize," Ty spoke breathlessly. "About what I said about the past and Maritza. I didn't realize how badly you've been hurting."

Bosco shrugged, but didn't say anything for a moment, "LaRusso's been paying to keep the case open, but I don't want him to go broke over something he can't control," he spoke quietly. "There haven't been any leads in months and I just worry that…"

Loud coughing suddenly filled the air and Bosco turned towards the sound, frowning when he saw someone staggering down the street from the direction of the docks, "Davis, who's that?" he said in a concerned voice. "He's coming this way…"

Just as Ty and Bosco moved forward to see who was there, the stranger suddenly stumbled and collapsed in the snow. Sirens filled the air, but Ty and Bosco ran towards the stranger, "C…cold," the stranger spoke weakly. "I can't..move."

Bosco and Ty gently lifted the stranger out of the snowy street and carried him to the clean bench, "Um, Bosco, isn't this that Sergeant Stetler who went missing from Miami two days ago?" Ty said, looking at Rick's face. "Sir, how'd you get here?"

Rick squinted up at the two cops, "Where am I?" he asked groggily. "My bracelet…"

Bosco knelt down and saw a medical bracelet on Rick's wrist, "Hypoglycemia," he read in a quiet voice as the ambulance pulled up to the curb. "Davis, call the Crime Lab like right now. They've been looking for this guy in Miami; how'd he get here?"

Just then, Holly got out of the ambulance with Danielle's former partner, Jacob, who had transferred out of Bed-Stuy after recovering from the fire at Danielle's house, "Hey, I thought you weren't working this morning?" Bosco said. "Carlos…"

"We're shortstaffed cause of flu season and it's only for a few hours," Holly replied in a concerned voice, frowning as she saw Rick. "Bosco, you said it was about your…"

Bosco sighed, "David's inside, but I think this guy is worse off," he replied softly.

Rick frowned and suddenly vomited clear fluid on the ground, "Where the heck am I?" he asked in a groggy voice. "It was dark when I got up and started walking…"

"You're in Manhattan," Bosco replied quietly. "Walking from where?"

Rick suddenly cringed and keeled over on the bench, prompting Holly and Jacob to bring a gurney over to him, "He's got a medical bracelet on that says he's hypoglycemic, but other than that, I don't know," Ty spoke nervously.

Holly and Jacob gently managed to move Rick to the gurney and quickly covered him up to keep him from freezing. Maggie Davis came outside as Holly and Jacob moved Rick towards the ambulance, "Sergeant Boscorelli, David's all right now and he went to the class," she said calmly. "I'll keep an eye on him…who's this?"

"David's fine now?" Bosco replied worriedly. "Must have been anxiety."

Maggie nodded and Rick suddenly let out a pained groan and passed out, cold and exhaustion overwhelming him, "We gotta go!" Holly exclaimed. "Bosco, Davis…"

"Go on," Maggie spoke anxiously. "If David has more problems, I'll call Danielle…"

Bosco nodded, "Could you call Sully, Mrs. Davis?" he asked as he and Ty moved to the ambulance. "I remember Sully mentioning that he knows Sergeant Stetler…"

Maggie nodded and hurried back towards the school, anxious to be of help.

* * *

_**Angel of Mercy Hospital - Manhattan**_

"_.…A gun?"_

Collective gasps of fear filled the room as Rick slowly came to awareness.

"…_Detective Taylor, we found this in his pocket," a voice said. "He passed out and started seizing in the ambulance. His bracelet said he's hypoglycemic…"_

"_...He's moving…"_

Pain shot through Rick's body as he opened his eyes and heard a whooshing sound while peering at the masked faces above him. Everything was blurry and it hurt to keep looking, so he closed his eyes again and the pain quickly went away.

Mac, who had been in the room waiting for Rick's clothes and belongings, frowned as he picked up the bags of evidence and went into the hallway where Lindsay and Flack were waiting, "Lindsay, take these back to the lab and process them," he ordered in a quiet, somber voice. "A nurse has to do a rape kit yet, so I'll stay and collect it."

"Do you want me to call Bobby in Miami?" Flack asked in a concerned voice.

Mac sighed as Bosco came into view, "I called my father-in-law," Bosco spoke quietly. "He was Sergeant Stetler's trainer and might be able to help him."

"There's evidence that he was drugged," Mac spoke quietly. "And beaten badly."

Bosco nodded, "He said he started walking when it was dark," he explained in a concerned voice. "How did he get here from Miami? That's a long way."

"According to the web BOLO, the Russian Mafia and a reporter named Erica Sikes were the ones who kidnapped Stetler from Miami," Flack said quietly. "After I call Bobby, I'll call over to the Crime Lab and see if they know who did it."

Mac sighed, "Don, you had also better check with Miami to see if they have encountered any dead bodies in the last three days," he replied in a somber voice. "This Sergeant Stetler may have hurt or killed his attackers and not remember."

Flack frowned as Mac held up the bag that had the gun in it and exhaled softly.

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

Ryan sighed heavily as he opened his eyes and found that he was still in the hideabed even though he had suffered bad dreams in the night. Dr. Robbins had been by several times to check on him and had decided he would get a better rest if he wasn't stuck in an uncomfortable hospital bed. Now, however, Ryan wasn't sure of anything.

It was early, so everyone else was still asleep and Ryan found himself picking up one of the books that Greg had gotten him from the library. He silently skimmed through it for several seconds and then set it down, unable to help but wonder what was going on in the world. He grabbed the remote and turned the TV near his bed on, making sure to keep the volume low. The news appeared and along with it, a view of a taped off area that was near an elementary school in New York. A reporter clad in winter gear stood outside of the area while Danny worked behind the tape.

"It is just outside this elementary school that Sergeant Rick Stetler of the Miami-Dade Police Department was found and rescued by Sergeant Maurice Boscorelli and Lieutenant Tyrone Davis of the NYPD," the reporter announced in a somber voice.

Ryan's eyes widened as Tim, who had woken up to feed Jesse, came into the front room carrying Jesse and saw Ryan watching TV, "Hey," Tim said in a quiet voice.

"Stetler…he was found in New York," Ryan spoke weakly. "Near a school."

Tim frowned as the phone suddenly rang, so he quickly answered it so that Ryan wouldn't have to move, "Hello?" he spoke in a quiet voice. "Tim Speedle…"

"Detective Speedle is Officer Wolfe awake?" Grissom asked. "He's needed…"

Tim quietly pressed the speaker, "Who's on the phone?" Ryan asked groggily.

"Ryan, it's Grissom," Grissom spoke quietly. "Conrad wants a meeting."

Ryan sighed, "I'm still pretty much confined to bed," he replied. "What about?"

There was an uneasy silence on the other end, "Atwater asked us when you're going to pull the plug so an autopsy can be done on Sofia and a case can be built against those who attacked you," Grissom said softly. "I did not want to be the one to make this call, but Atwater threatened to get me fired if I didn't at least ask you."

Tim scowled, but Ryan sighed weakly, "I'm going to call about her condition this morning and I'll let you know," Ryan spoke quietly. "Will that work?"

"I'm sorry I had to bother you with this," Grissom replied apologetically.

Ryan turned his head away and Tim ended the call, giving Ryan a worried look as he did so, "I'm not ready," Ryan spoke in a quiet voice. "I can't say goodbye yet."

Nodding, Tim sat on the hideabed and watched as Ryan cried quietly.

* * *

_**Miami, Florida**_

"Dad?"

Robert sighed sleepily, keeping one arm around Natalia as he slowly woke and saw that BJ was standing there holding the cordless, "I was downstairs getting food when the phone rang. I answered it and it's Uncle Donnie; he says it's important."

Frowning, Robert slowly untangled himself from Natalia and sat up in bed before he took the phone, "Hello?" he asked in a tired voice. "Donnie, what's wrong?"

"_Your brother-in-law showed up in Manhattan this morning badly beaten and half frozen_," Flack explained in a serious voice. "_He's being treated at Angel of Mercy of hospital and a gun was found on him, but he can't remember what happened_."

Robert's eyes widened in shock and he quickly got out of bed, causing Natalia to wake up, "I'll see about getting there either later today or tomorrow," he replied in a concerned voice. "I'm also going to tell my uncle what you've told me."

Without waiting for a reply, Robert ended the call, "Rick turned up in New York and I need to be there for him," he spoke in a quiet voice. "I know it may complicate…"

"We can simply pack up the presents and go to New York as a family," Natalia replied in a patient voice. "I know what Rick means to you and to your kids, Bobby."

Robert nodded, unsure of what to say, "Can we visit Maggie?" BJ asked softly.

"Yeah, we can," Robert replied softly. "Go wake your brother and pack."

Natalia got out of bed and Robert sighed heavily, "I'm feeling high anxiety about this situation and I shouldn't," he admitted once BJ had left. "I shouldn't be nervous."

"You won't be alone," Natalie replied softly. "Do you want me to call Horatio?"

Robert nodded, exhaling anxiously, "Thank you," he replied in a quiet voice.

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"Grissom!"

Grissom, who had come in to do some paperwork while Sara took the day off to spend with Danielle and Gregory, looked up from his desk and saw Ecklie lingering there, "Catherine just called," Ecklie said. "Rick Stetler turned up in New York."

"Did you want me to be the one to tell Catherine?" Grissom asked suspiciously.

Ecklie scoffed, "Someone called her from New York and she's not in a sociable mood right now," he replied irritably. "She took her kids out to do Christmas things."

"What do you need exactly, Conrad?" Grissom asked in a confused voice.

Ecklie sighed, "Stetler had a gun on him and he might have hurt or killed someone in Miami before ending up in New York," he explained. "You need to handle it."

"I have to be here because Ryan's going to get back to me about Sofia," Grissom spoke in a somber voice. "Atwater forced me to ask when we can do an autopsy."

Ecklie swore and scoffed, "I knew he would because the department's paying for Sofia to be on life support and Atwater's freaking about the budget, but the mayor ordered it," he replied. "Ryan Wolfe gets to make the decision on that…"

"I did call Ryan and pass Atwater's request on," Grissom replied quietly. "He's staying at his brother's hotel for the holidays and is very well looked after."

Ecklie nodded, "You still need to handle the Rick Stetler situation," he said. "Catherine wants you to deal with it because she trusts you to deal with it."

"I don't have time to clean up Catherine's problems," Grissom argued. "I have a job, I have a wife, I have twin infants, and I also run the Victims Assistance nationwide."

Ecklie sighed, "Grissom, just do it," he replied firmly. "Consider it an order."

Before Grissom could reply, Ecklie turned and stalked out of the office.

* * *

_**Angel of Mercy Hospital – Manhattan, New York**_

"Davis, I can stay and wait for Sully," Bosco spoke in a tired voice as he came down the hallway and saw Ty sitting in a chair outside of the room where Rick was resting.

Ty frowned, "Why'd you call Sully?" he asked quietly. "He's retired from NYPD."

"Sully trained Stetler and it might help," Bosco replied. "The CSI's went back to the lab with all their evidence, but one of them will be by later to get information."

Ty nodded, "Do you really think he killed someone?" he asked. "Or was he suicidal?"

"Davis, do you really think someone that beaten up would wanna kill themselves?" Bosco asked in a quiet voice, frowning as the door opened and Mac came out. "Detective, I thought you all went back to the lab? What were you doing in there?"

Mac suddenly looked somber as a nurse came out and handed him a container, "Getting a rape kit done," he spoke quietly. "There were signs it happened, but Sergeant Stetler was dangerously unstable when he first came in, so we had to wait."

Bosco looked sympathetic, "What were the extent of the injuries?" he asked.

"A skull fracture, deep bruises, internal bruising, collapsed lungs, shock, hypothermia, a concussion, a broken wrist, and retrograde amnesia due to hypoglycemic seizures," Mac explained in a somber voice. "Tests run so far say he's had more than one."

Ty looked uneasy, but Bosco nodded, "Flack called Stetler's emergency contact, a Detective Robert LaRusso-Caine in Miami and Detective Caine is making arrangements to come up," Mac spoke quietly. "I'll keep you updated."

"LaRusso's coming to visit?" Bosco asked quietly. "I didn't know that."

* * *

_**Miami, Florida**_

"Horatio, you need to see that videotape we found at the scene," Calleigh spoke in a somber voice as Horatio came into the AV lab looking for an update. "It's serious."

Horatio frowned as Calleigh murmured to the AV tech to start the video and an image of Erica Sikes and a few dark-haired Russians torturing Rick appeared on the screen with full audio. "Fast forward it, please," he ordered in a quiet, but stern voice.

The AV tech did as he was told and Horatio and Calleigh watched the torture become more intense and progress to sexual assault before the video suddenly stopped.

"It doesn't show any of the murder or anything besides torture," Calleigh observed in a concerned voice. "We don't know anything except that a man was murdered..."

The sound of footsteps suddenly filled the hallway and Horatio turned just in time to see Robert coming down the hallway sporting a visitor badge on what appeared to be a winter coat, "Bobby, what brings you here?" Horatio asked in a concerned voice, his expression worried as he came out of the lab. "I'm here because Stella's visiting..."

"I got a call from Don Flack in New York and Rick turned up there injured with a gun in his pocket, but he can't remember what happened," Robert spoke anxiously.

Horatio's eyes narrowed, "I decided to go and take my family, but I'm feeling anxious because Rick's not well and in deep trouble," Robert spoke in a concerned voice. "I don't know how I can help someone who can't remember about the crime."

Calleigh suddenly looked very somber, "What we found at the crime scene we were called to earlier suggests that Sergeant Stetler was involved in a murder, but we don't yet know how," she replied worriedly. "There was also evidence of deep torture including drugs and rape. I know you don't work here anymore, but you need to know."

Robert nodded, but said nothing, "Eric, Jesse, and Walter are processing the evidence we already gathered and Alexx is leading Dr. Stokes through the autopsy of the body we found there," Horatio spoke calmly. "I've assigned Calleigh to the Stella Bonasera case because there's evidence that more than the Russians and McKeen were involved."

"You mean someone from New York helped?" Robert asked softly. "I know that Stella's been staying with us since she arrived, but she can't remember much..."

Horatio nodded, "You and Natalia have been good to let her stay, but her case is still very much open and needs investigating," he replied calmly. "Pavel LaRusso is actually her current employer in New York and he's here with his mother and sister, so she decided to visit him for a few hours. She has an officer escort for protection."

"I thought I'd let you know about my travel plans so I don't step on your investigation," Robert spoke quietly. "Don says that my old partner and a Lieutenant named Ty Davis will be keeping watch on Rick until I can get up there."

Horatio nodded calmly, "You won't be and you don't have to do this if it makes you uncomfortable to go back there," he replied gently. "I know the memories..."

"I was actually thinking of taking Natalia to see my mother's grave," Robert spoke in a quiet voice. "And the boys were asking if we could visit Maggie while we're there."

Calleigh suddenly looked very somber and she quietly slipped away so Robert and Horatio could speak alone, "Tell you what, I'll talk to Stella and if we can get up there for Christmas, we'll join you and make it easier," Horatio spoke softly. "All right?"

Robert nodded and swallowed hard, prompting Horatio to gently engulf him in a hug.

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Emily asked in a concerned voice as she wheeled Ryan, who had insisted on coming to see Sofia after Grissom's call, off the hospital elevator on to the Palliative Care Floor. "You don't have to do this."

Ryan sighed, but said nothing because he knew it would cause him to start crying again like he did after Grissom's call. He had managed to get dressed with Tim and Emily's help and Emily offered to go with him to see Sofia and make a decision.

Tommy had arranged for a handibus to transport his siblings to and from the hospital and here they were now. As Emily wheeled Ryan down the hallway towards Sofia's room, they could see Brass sitting in a chair outside while Sara sat inside, beside the bed.

"Hey," Brass spoke in a somber voice as Emily approached with Ryan. "How are you?"

Ryan sighed heavily, but said nothing, "The outgoing sheriff's putting pressure on Ryan to pull Sofia off life support so an autopsy can be done," Emily replied softly.

Brass cringed and looked apologetic, following them into the hospital room as they went in. Sara immediately got up and gave Ryan a hug, her eyes full of tears.

"I'm so sorry this is happening to you," Sara spoke quietly. "I'm so sorry."

Ryan accepted the hug, "I decided to leave the lab to spend more time with my kids because I should cherish that I have them," Sara spoke softly. "I'll miss you."

"I don't know if I'm going back to that lab," Ryan spoke in a trembling voice.

Sara nodded calmly, "You don't have to make that decision right away," she replied.

Emily moved Ryan closer to the bed, "Can we be alone?" Ryan asked weakly.

Nodding, Emily shooed Brass and Sara into the hallway, but left the door open so Ryan wouldn't have a claustrophobic spell. Ryan silently took Sofia's hand and sighed, gently kissing it as he sat there with his eyes closed, dropping into grief.

* * *

_**Manhattan, New York**_

Danielle was spending time with Michael and Emily that day so that John could show Caira around and also spend time helping Carlos to give Holly a break. David, Ellie, and Ray Jr. were in school, so Sully had been free to respond when Bosco had called him and told him to come to the hospital right away without saying why.

Now, as Sully stepped off the elevator, he was surprised to see Bosco and Ty sitting in chairs in front of a room at the end of the hallway, quietly talking as if they were actually friends. Sighing heavily, Sully approached the two and cleared his throat.

"Sully, thanks for coming so fast," Bosco spoke in a concerned voice, standing up.

Sully nodded and held up a bag, "I brought clothes and other stuff like you asked, but you and Davis look fine," he said firmly. "What exactly is going on, Bosco?"

Bosco sighed, "Rick Stetler turned up near David and Ellie's school when I was leaving them there this morning," he replied. "Ray left for school earlier with Yelina and Nicky cause of some AP testing, so I walked David and Ellie."

Sully frowned, "Stetler has a skull fracture, deep bruises, internal bruising, collapsed lungs, shock, hypothermia, a concussion, a broken wrist, and retrograde amnesia due to hypoglycemic seizures along with sexual trauma," Ty spoke nervously. "He's also being investigated cause he had a gun on him that the Crime Lab took away."

"How'd he end up here?" Sully asked worriedly. "He went missing in Miami."

Bosco shrugged, "I remember Danielle saying you trained Stetler, so I figured you could help somehow," he replied worriedly. "I don't know if he's awake…"

Sully sighed calmly, "Davis, stay by the door," he said. "Bosco, come with me."

Bosco looked confused, but followed Sully into the room and saw that Rick was still unconscious with a bandage around his head, a tube in his nose, and a cast on his left wrist. He was tucked in bed and looked very broken with his many bruises.

"Oh, Rick," Sully sighed quietly. "Bosco, I didn't tell Danielle about this because she'd want to come and help. Stetler tried to protect Ellie when she went missing…"

Bosco frowned, "You were working, but Ellie saw him on the news last night and told Danielle that he tried to help her, Kylie, and Maggie, but he was caught and beat up," Sully spoke in a hushed voice. "She's been worried about him ever since."

"Ellie didn't mention anything," Bosco replied softly. "I know she still thinks of it."

Before Sully could reply, Rick stirred and eyed Bosco and Sully uncertainly before focusing on Bosco, "You're in the hospital," Bosco spoke quietly. "You're safe."

"Where?" Rick asked in a confused voice. "This…this isn't Miami…it's cold."

Sully quickly got a chair and sat beside the bed, prompting Rick to look at him, "Sully?" Rick asked in a confused, groggy voice. "I….I don't feel good."

Without hesitating, Sully grabbed a bedpan and held it while Rick threw up, sighing when Rick finally stopped and shuddered, "Hurts," Rick croaked. "Everything…"

Sully quietly buzzed the nurse, "We have to keep whatever comes up," Bosco spoke in a quiet voice. "Crime Lab has to analyze whatever he pukes up."

Cringing, Rick closed his eyes and exhaled anxiously just as a nurse came and Sully handed the bedpan to Bosco, "You or Davis take this there, then," Sully replied.

As Bosco left the room, he could hear Sully talking to the nurse about Rick and speaking in such a quiet urgency that it made him wonder what Sully was hiding.

* * *

_**Miami, Florida**_

"_We've just gotten a flight, but it doesn't leave for a few hours_," Robert's voice said in a quiet tone. "_We're headed to the airport now. Did you talk to Stella yet?"_

Horatio sighed as he sat down at a patio table that was close to the place where Pavel and Anya were staying with their mother, the place Stella was visiting, "Stella's almost done with her visit and asked me to meet her so I could drive her home," he replied patiently. "She's still recovering and skittish about travelling alone."

There was a pause, "I did send the information up to Mac Taylor and told him you would follow up when you got there and got settled," Horatio spoke quietly.

"_I can do that_," Robert replied quietly. "_Did you find whoever did it_?"

Horatio sighed, "Pavel gave us names, but uniforms are having a tough time finding the men," he explained quietly. "We have warrants out for everyone involved…"

Uneasiness filled the air as Horatio suddenly saw a news van drive down the street and stop near a new looking business. Erica and a cameraman got out and Erica began talking into the camera while holding a microphone, a smile pasted on her face.

Quietly ending the call, Horatio got up, patted his pocket to make sure he had a copy of the warrant that had been distributed to all law enforcement, and silently made his way down the street to where Erica was, "Erica Sikes?" he asked in a cold voice.

Irritated about being interrupted, Erica turned and Horatio pulled the cuffs off his belt, "You're under arrest for kidnapping, drugging, sodomy, and sexual assault on a police officer," Horatio spoke coldly, glaring at her. "We found the video, Erica."

A look of anger and disgust flashed across Erica's face, but Horatio simply handcuffed her and quietly read her her rights before leading her over to his Hummer. He quietly radioed for backup and said nothing until a squad car arrived several moments later.

"Lieutenant Caine?" Jessop asked in a confused voice as he got out and saw that Horatio had just arrested someone. "I didn't know there was an issue here..."

Horatio sighed quietly, "Officer Jessop, as you know, Miss Sikes has a warrant out for her arrest," he replied calmly. "I need assistance in delivering her to Booking."

Jessop suddenly became very serious and took hold of Erica just as Stella came into view, "Ryan shouldn't have rejected me," Erica snapped. "He was so easy to manipulate when he didn't have anyone else. I knew he was close to Stetler and Rick Stetler's a worthless weakling who has no business being in a position of authority anywhere. Warrick Brown told me quite a bit when we got together..."

"Warrick Brown is _dead_ and I will make sure you go to prison for a very, very long time," Horatio replied coldly. "You and your Russian mafia friends will all go there."

Erica sneered at Horatio as she was led away and Stella looked both shocked and mystified, "How was your visit?" Horatio asked once Jessop and Erica were gone.

"Pavel, Anya, and their mother will be in New York for the holidays and he will be making sure none of his men were involved in hurting me as legally as he can," Stella spoke in a quiet voice. "I've also been thinking I want to talk to Emily Yokas."

Horatio looked concerned, but said nothing, "Right before I was kidnapped, I saw her there and I'm sure she saw something, but is too scared to come forward," Stella spoke in a worried voice. "If I talk to her, maybe she will confide in me."

"I was actually going to ask if we could go to New York because Bobby is going there to help Rick out of a sticky situation and he's feeling overwhelmed," Horatio spoke in a quiet voice. "I hope you don't mind me spending time with both of you there..."

Stella nodded and sighed, "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me, but Adria was my best friend and I wasn't sure how to deal with it," she replied in a concerned voice. "I didn't know how to deal with loss back then and I handled it wrong."

"We were both overwhelmed back then, but we have a second chance now that we're older and wiser," Horatio replied in a quiet voice. "We don't need to fight over it."

Stella nodded and Horatio gently held her, grateful that second chances existed.

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

As the day went on, Emily and Brass watched over Ryan as he sat at Sofia's bedside, saying all he could through tears. Nurses had come and gone, each of them giving Ryan food, drinks, or whatever he needed to be able to stay where he was.

Sara had eventually left, saying that she needed to spend time with Grissom and their children. Brass, however, had stayed and had kept Emily company while trying to see if anyone else wanted to come and spell them off. Greg and Nick had said they would drop by, but neither had come yet and Emily wondered if Greg wasn't up for it.

As Emily continued keeping an eye on the door, she heard footsteps and she was surprised to see Greg and Captain Curtis approaching. Emily and Brass walked over to them and Emily gently gave Greg a hug, which he silently returned.

"I was in a meeting with the higher-ups," Greg spoke quietly. "I'll be moving back to CSI status after Christmas so the shift is covered while Grissom's on leave. I got commended for teaching the students and also gave a statement on the incident..."

Emily nodded, "I...I ran into Captain Curtis at the precinct and I offered to come with her so she and Ryan can talk," Greg spoke quietly. "I see him sitting in there..."

Captain Curtis silently went into the room and hugged Ryan from behind while talking softly to him. Ryan sniffled, but nodded before motioning for everyone.

"We...we talked and it's time to take Sofia off the machines and let her go quietly," Ryan spoke in a shaking, quiet voice as Captain Curtis pressed the call button.

Brass looked incredibly sad, Greg nodded and looked somber, and Emily simply gave Ryan a gentle hug. A few moments later, Sofia's doctor came in and listened to both Captain Curtis and Ryan speak before silently removing Sofia from the ventilator.

The machine whined, but the doctor quickly shut it off, "How long do you think it'll be?" Ryan asked in a quiet voice, his expression defeated. "I...is she suffering?"

Ever so slowly, Sofia's breathing changed and became slower until it stopped. Sofia went limp and Ryan began sobbing loudly, unable to hide his grief any longer.

Captain Curtis moved over to the bed and gazed sadly at her lifeless daughter while gently massaging Ryan's hair. Brass made a call and Emily found herself consoling a crying Greg while the doctor quietly announced the official time of death.

* * *

Please read and review! This is the sequel to 'Sunrise of Changes!'


	2. Smoke and Mirrors - December 18, 2006

December 18

Manhattan, New York

It was early, but Robert was awake and in the elevator on his way up to visit Rick. He had left Natalia, BJ, and Adam asleep at the Plaza and had come alone because he didn't want Rick to feel overwhelmed. He hadn't told anyone but Natalia and she had agreed to keep it quiet.

As Robert stepped off the elevator, he noticed that the door was open and someone was sitting in the room. Deeply concerned, he hurried down the hallway and was surprised to see Sully sitting in an easy chair, watching as Rick slept, "Hey," Sully said calmly, spotting Robert.

"Hi," Robert replied softly. "I left Natalia and our boys at the hotel. I thought Rick might respond better to me if I came by myself at first. We got in late last night and rested at the hotel."

Sully nodded, "The CSI's did their thing and Miami just told them that there was a murder down there where Rick's badge was found," he explained. "Rick doesn't remember anything, but he knows what was done to him. There's also a rumor going around that Gil Grissom…"

"That man is not to talk to Rick or be allowed in this room at all," Robert spoke sharply.

Sully looked shocked and Robert sighed, "Rick's estranged wife works for him and Gil Grissom's sympathies are with Catherine, so he might come into this with a flawed opinion on Rick," Robert explained firmly. "After my experience with the CSI's in Las Vegas, I'm not overly comfortable with most of them. I'd rather New York and Miami handle this."

"Sully, go home," a faint voice suddenly spoke. "I don't deserve your kindness."

Sully and Robert looked at the bed and was shocked to see Rick awake, "Sully, I'm not the nicest person," Rick spoke in a pained voice, his body shaking as he spoke. "I dated Yelina and was abusive and I got help after we broke it off, but I'm no good. You need to get away from me."

Sully looked confused and swore as Rick started trying to get up, "Please, I dated because the FBI forced me to be legally single during that mess and I screwed it up," Rick spoke in a pained voice. "I'm not the guy you trained me to be and you're better off staying away…"

Alarmed, Robert quickly went to Rick's side and helped him lie back down, "It's all right, Rick," he spoke gently, sighing as Rick relaxed before quickly drifting off. "Just rest for a while."

"He was given drugs and tortured, the CSI's say," Sully spoke quietly. "Do you want company?"

Robert sighed heavily, "You should really tell my aunt what you've been up to," he replied in a firm voice. "I know you haven't and you need to be honest with her about you helping Rick."

Sully shook his head in disbelief at Robert's instinct, "How come you didn't make detective while you were still in New York?" he asked in a shocked voice. "You're very intelligent."

"I had three kids that needed a competent parent there for them when they came home from school and daycare," Robert spoke quietly. "The street wasn't glamorous, but it worked and 7 to 5 was what I could do. Bosco knew what I was dealing with and helped when he could; he was one of the few cops that Amanda could tolerate around the house with her problems."

Sully nodded, "I'll talk to Yelina," he promised. "Are you gonna be all right here by yourself?"

"I'll text Natalia," Robert replied softly. "I'm sure they'll want to come by and visit…"

* * *

The sound of knocking woke Horatio, who had flown in with Stella very late and was now sharing her bed with her. Stella knew that Horatio had changed because of being abducted and tortured, so she knew he would want something lower-key than a busy hotel for the next while.

Even though he had money, Horatio was very grateful to be away from the public eye of hotels and somewhere a bit more private. He wasn't fond of travelling and staying at hotels if he could avoid them, as hotels tended to not be as private as they might advertise to be and someone as well known as him would definitely attract attention. He just wanted to have a quiet vacation.

"Horatio, just keep resting," Stella's voice filled his ear. "I'll see who's at the door, all right?"

There was footsteps, silence, and quiet talking, "I'll make sure he gets it, but he's asleep right now," Horatio heard Stella say firmly. "How did people find out he was here already?"

Horatio opened his eyes just in time to see Stella come back into the bedroom holding an envelope, "Gil Grissom from Victims Assistance is in New York and wants to talk to you," Stella spoke in a concerned voice as she handed Horatio the message. "I thought the trial was postponed til May?"

"He left a number," Horatio spoke quietly. "As much as I don't want to relive the experiences until I absolutely have to, I'll do it simply for everyone else who endured along with me."

Stella nodded, "I was planning to go visit Emily Yokas today, but I can wait and go with you," she offered softly. "I was going to also make you a key after breakfast…"

"A quiet diner will be fine if you don't have a lot of food," Horatio replied softly. "Although, I still have issues eating certain things from when I was starved and drugged. My counselor…"

Horatio sighed and looked at the bed, prompting Stella to climb on the bed and hold him, "It's okay," Stella spoke softly, knowing Horatio was far from healed. "I'll make eggs and toast."

Sighing, Horatio immediately relaxed into Stella's touch and Stella let him go before going to the kitchen to make scrambled eggs and toast for them. He closed his eyes again and allowed sleep to overtake his tired body, silently reminding himself that Stella would keep him safe.

* * *

Las Vegas, Nevada

The Crime Lab was quiet as David Phillips and Doc Robbins quietly rolled the gurney containing Sofia's body inside and through the corridors to the morgue. After the plug had been pulled and Sofia had passed, Ryan had allowed the Crime Lab to take the body with the condition that he and Captain Curtis be present for the autopsy. Grissom had agreed, but had suddenly flew off to New York and hadn't taken Sara, as she couldn't get time off.

Ryan was sitting in a chair in the corner of the morgue with Captain Curtis standing next to him, both of them looking tired, "I asked Emily and Tim to stay with their kids," Ryan spoke in a quiet, somber voice. "Carlos also needs to be kept distracted. He keeps asking for his mama."

Captain Curtis sighed and gently rubbed Ryan's shoulder, having spent a good deal of time working when she wasn't visiting Sofia or Ryan. She had been on board with Ryan letting Sofia off life support, as it was painfully obvious that Sofia wasn't going to survive the trauma that came with her hostage experience. The media had crucified LVPD for their handling of events that led to this moment, but they had left the Wolfe family and Captain Curtis undisturbed.

"It's all right, Ryan," Captain Curtis spoke softly. "You have to stop blaming yourself."

Ryan sighed heavily, "There wasn't any reason for Sofia and John to be taken too and John being another hostage was awful," he spoke softly. "I should have just let McKeen kill me."

"No, Ryan, don't say or think that," Captain Curtis spoke softly. "You aren't to blame."

The door to the morgue suddenly opened and Ecklie came in with an anxious looking Sheriff Atwater, "What are you two doing here?" Ryan asked coldly, glaring daggers at them.

"The press heard about you taking Sofia off of life support and they want information on how she died," Atwater spoke in a formal voice. "I'm still sheriff until January and I promised…"

Ryan scoffed, "Get _out_," he hissed coldly. "How _dare_ you use my wife as a tool for the media…"

Sheriff Atwater's eyes widened, "Come on, Wolfe, you know this isn't easy for any of us, but you knew this was going to happen," he replied calmly. "This is a serious investigation…"

Cursing, Ryan grabbed his crutches and got to his feet, "Atwater, you and the LVPD were supposed to protect me and my family when I was leading the search for Horatio Caine!" he shouted, tears escaping his eyes as his anxiety rose. "You _promised_, but you're a liar!"

Ecklie's eyes went wide at Ryan's anger, "Sheriff, step out," he spoke in an anxious voice.

Sheriff Atwater's eyes widened, "Conrad…" he hissed in an upset voice.

"I can handle things," Ecklie spoke nervously. "You can go back to whatever…."

Scowling, Sheriff Atwater left, "You know I have to be here, Ryan, even though this is a difficult situation," Ecklie spoke apologetically. "Grissom took off to New York for lab business."

Ryan slowly sat back down, not saying another word because yelling and getting up so quickly had hurt him more than he expected, "Stokes, Sidle, Sanders, and Willows wanted to be here, but I told them no," Ecklie spoke in a quiet voice. "This doesn't need to be a big production."

"Thank you, Conrad," Captain Curtis spoke quietly. "At least someone is respectful about this."

* * *

New York

The park was quiet and cold, but Horatio found himself simply relieved that Grissom had chosen a secluded part of Central Park in which to meet. After breakfast, Stella had made him a key to the apartment and had gone to visit Emily, promising that they would meet for lunch later.

Grissom was sitting at one of the tables normally used for playing chess and he had an envelope on the table in front of him, "I thought the hearing was postponed?" Horatio asked softly as he approached and took a seat at the table. "Did you bring Sara and your children with you?"

"Sara couldn't get time off and I barely got any time to come here," Grissom replied in a tired voice. "The trials aren't until May because New York pushed for it to be after John's graduation."

Horatio nodded, as he had personally petitioned for both that and a Miami department rank and award to be bestowed upon John for his bravery, "I'm here for a different reason," Grissom spoke in a somber voice as he offered Horatio the envelope. "This is for you…from Sofia."

Frowning, Horatio took the envelope, "Sofia was disconnected from life support yesterday and died shortly thereafter," Grissom explained. "She asked me to personally deliver that to you and I had been trying to find time to go to Miami when I heard you would be in New York."

Horatio eyed the envelope and nodded, his expression somber, "Have you told John Boscorelli about Sofia's death yet?" he asked softly. "He spent a lot of her dying moments with her."

Grissom sighed, "I haven't, but I need to," he replied softly. "He's not going to like it."

"I've been meaning to see how John's doing since our last encounter, so I can accompany you," Horatio spoke in a calm voice as he tucked the envelope in his jacket. "Thank you for this."

Nodding, Grissom got up, "Did you want to share a cab to the Boscorelli's?" he asked.

Horatio nodded and the two journeyed to the Boscorelli's apartment in a cab with neither of them speaking, as the loss of Sofia was hard on both of them and neither knew what to say.

Grissom silently led Horatio up to the apartment and knocked. The door opened almost immediately, revealing Bosco, "Uh, hi," Bosco said in a suspicious voice. "What's up?"

"Sergeant Boscorelli, is John around?" Grissom asked softly. "Lieutenant Caine and I need to talk to him about something important."

Bosco frowned, "I thought the hearing wasn't until May," he replied groggily. "John and Caira walked David, Ellie, and Ray Junior to school since Danielle had to work and they're not back yet. I've got the day off and I'm here with Mikey and Emily. Sully, Yelina, and Nicky are out."

Horatio nodded, "I'm relieved he's all right," he replied quietly. "I'm sorry to bother you."

"They shouldn't be long; come in and wait," Bosco offered. "It's kinda yucky outside."

Horatio and Grissom came inside and saw that Michael and Emily were sitting on the couch, their eyes glued to what sounded like a Christmas cartoon. A pot of hot chocolate sat on the stove along with pans of eggs and bacon. The decorated tree was in the corner, blocking a small under construction area and presents sat under the tree on top of a handmade tree skirt.

"Sorry for the mess, but Sully and Yelina have some sort of project going on that won't be ready til Christmas," Bosco spoke in a tired voice. "Do you want anything while you wait?"

Grissom watched as Emily made hand motions while watching the TV and Bosco took notice, "We've been reading her ASL books and tapes," Bosco commented quietly. "She can't hear well, but she knows a bit about communicating with her hands. We're looking into speech therapists."

Horatio nodded, but before he could reply, the front door opened and John and Caira came in, both of them clad in winter gear, "Lieutenant Caine, Doctor Grissom," John spoke, suddenly feeling uneasy and disarmed by their presence. "Something's wrong, isn't it?"

"Sofia was taken off life support yesterday and declared dead," Grissom spoke quietly.

John and Caira exchanged a look and Caira sighed heavily before starting to cry, prompting John to silently hold her in a hug. His expression was forlorn, but he didn't say anything.

"How are Officer Wolfe and Carlos holding up?" John finally asked. "They must be hurting."

Grissom nodded, "I haven't spoken to Ryan much," he admitted. "He doesn't trust LVPD."

"I honestly can't blame him," John replied softly. "I should send him an email."

Grissom sighed, "Caira, I also brought a letter from your brother," he spoke softly, getting an envelope out of his jacket pocket. "If you want to communicate with him, send the letter to either me or DB and we'll make sure he gets it. McKeen could intercept anything addressed to Colin."

Caira nodded and took the envelope as John released her, "Thank you," she replied softly. "Sergeant, do you mind if I sit in Ellie's room to read this? I need to be alone for this."

Bosco nodded and Caira silently kissed John before disappearing into Ellie's room, "The hearing's still in May and I'll be in touch with details," Grissom spoke in an anxious voice as he checked his watch. "Unfortunately, I wasn't given much time and I have to get a flight…"

"Thank you for telling us about Sofia, Doctor Grissom," John replied in a quiet voice.

Grissom nodded and quietly excused himself, "Lieutenant Caine, would you like some coffee?" John asked in a concerned voice, noticing that Horatio looked uneasy. "You look tired."

Horatio exhaled quietly, "I actually haven't drank coffee since the spring and I was actually going to go visit my nephew's family," he replied. "They're here because Rick is here."

"I saw that on the news," John spoke softly. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Horatio looked uncertain, "I'm not completely sure of the situation yet myself," he admitted softly. "If there is, I will let you know, all right? In the meantime, enjoy your holiday."

As Horatio left the apartment, he handed John his card and whispered, "Just in case."

* * *

"John, you seem very quiet," Sully heard a concerned voice say as he looked at toys in a department store that he could buy for his grandkids, stepson, and son. "Are you okay?"

Sully sighed as Yelina came up next to him with Nicolas in the stroller, "I've been visiting Rick Stetler since he was put in the hospital," he spoke quietly. "I know you and him have a history."

Yelina paused, but didn't look upset, "Ty and Bosco were initially assigned to watch him, but Bosco called me cause I trained Rick," Sully went on anxiously. "I brought him out of his shell."

"Shell?" Yelina asked softly, suddenly looking concerned. "What do you mean by that?"

Sully sighed and picked out some dolls for Ellie and Emily, "Rick didn't have a good past, so Bobby and Amanda got him to New York and I trained him," he explained. "He's not well right now and the talk is that he killed someone in Miami after being tortured and raped."

Yelina's eyes widened, but she said nothing, "He can't remember anything, though, and so it's a very sticky situation," Sully spoke quietly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

Compassion filled Yelina's eyes, "You're a good person," she replied in a quiet voice.

Sully sighed as Yelina looked at the dolls, "Ellie and Emily will like those," she said in a kind voice. "Why don't we go visit Rick when we're done here? He could use friends right now."

"It'll give Bobby a break," Sully replied. "He's sitting there now, but I bet he's getting tired."

Yelina looked concerned, "We should do some shopping for them too," she replied softly.

* * *

Footsteps filled the hallway, but Robert ignored them as he sat in a chair next to Rick's bed, catching a few winks while Rick rested. Rick had woken briefly when approached with breakfast, but he had went back to sleep right after it was done. He still wasn't feeling well in any way, shape, or form and his blood sugar was such that a nurse had taken blood for extra testing.

"Don't tell me you're in need of morning naps along with the afternoon ones now," Robert suddenly heard an amused voice say. "You're becoming an old man far too quickly."

Robert opened his eyes and saw Flack lingering at the door, "Hey there, Donnie, don't you have work?" he asked in a tired voice. "I texted Natalia and I haven't heard back…"

"Natalia asked me to come by since I'm on my lunch," Flack replied. "She's worried about you."

Robert sighed, but didn't argue, "Rick's doing a little worse today and a nurse came and took blood for tests," he spoke quietly. "They said something about his blood sugar."

Flack frowned, "Let's step outside for a breather," he replied softly. "You need it."

Robert sighed as he stood up, "Be right back, Rick," he whispered softly. "Keep resting."

Silence filled the air as Robert got his coat and followed Flack from the room, nodding at Ty, who was guarding the door, as they left. It didn't take long for them to get outside and they sat on a bench that was unusually dry. Flack gave Robert a long once-over and sighed.

"I quit the Crime Lab because the deputy and her boyfriend treated me like I was nothing," Robert found himself saying in a pained voice. "I start with Homicide in January and I took some paid leave for counseling. They blame me for what happened to my uncle, Donnie."

Flack sighed, "Politics can be a rough thing, but don't let it destroy who you are," he replied.

Robert nodded and began looking around at the snow when he suddenly spotted a familiar face getting off a bus just down the block, "Fred Yokas?" he spoke in a quiet voice. "Donnie…"

Flack frowned as he too noticed Fred, "Isn't he supposed to be dead?" he asked softly.

As Fred moved forward, he suddenly froze as he noticed Robert and Flack staring at him, "_You_!" Robert snapped, all traces of exhaustion gone from his face as he stormed over to Fred.

Fred sighed, "How are you still alive?!" Robert snapped. "After you killed Amanda and Maggie?!"

Fred's eyes narrowed, "I didn't do that," he hissed coldly. "You wanna fight me in the street?"

"Bobby, chill," Flack spoke up worriedly as he glared at Fred. "How are you still alive?!"

Robert glared at Fred, but didn't speak, "Sackheim made me investigate the gang your father was in since the name LaRusso came up when I was housing Maggie and Amanda," Fred hissed coldly. "Amanda was collateral damage and she got in the way of the investigation…"

"And my daughter?!" Robert hissed coldly. "She was _six_ years old and you killed her!"

Fred suddenly looked uneasy, "I didn't do that," he replied anxiously. "Look, we can't talk anymore here cause who knows if Sackheim sent other people to watch me. Come over…"

"I'd like to involve Mac Taylor and Jo Danville," Flack commented. "Jo's former FBI."

Fred sighed as he reached into his wallet and fished out a card, "You can contact me here when you're ready," he replied, handing the card to Bobby. "Caroline and Charlie will understand."

Robert said nothing as Fred turned and made a beeline down a nearby alley, "I…I don't know what to say or think," he finally said in a shaking voice. "Donnie, did that just happen?"

Flack frowned, "Yeah, it did," he replied softly. "Bobby, let's go sit down before you fall."

Robert sighed, but allowed Flack to lead him back to the bench and sit him down, "I saw him die," he spoke in a quiet, shaking voice. "I didn't even go to the funeral cause I had a panic attack and ended up in the emergency room. I never saw the bodies or the burial, but…"

"Do you want to check the headstones?" Flack asked, catching on to what his friend was thinking. "I haven't been there in a while cause of work, but I think they're safe."

Robert closed his eyes and exhaled softly, "Nothing's as it seems anymore," he whispered.

Before Flack could reply, a Suburban pulled up to the curb and parked. A moment later, Sully got out and quickly got Nicolas out of the car while Yelina got out on her own.

"Bobby?" Yelina spoke softly, suddenly noticing her nephew. "You don't look well."

Robert swallowed hard, "You wouldn't be well either if you found out that the man who killed your daughter is alive," he replied in a shaking voice. "Sackheim made him fake his death to investigate my father and his cronies. Donnie and I are going to check the headstones…"

Sully's eyes widened in shock and Yelina looked horrified, "I…I need someone to sit with Rick," Robert spoke in a trembling voice. "If Fred is alive, who knows what else might be…"

Exhaling anxiously, Robert stood up, "I need to get this done," he spoke in a shaking voice.

As Flack and Robert walked off, Sully gave Yelina a look and they went into the hospital.

* * *

Las Vegas, Nevada

Emily was back in her temporary office at the Crime Lab, but she wasn't the only counselor on duty that day. Ecklie had forced Atwater to hire on an additional counselor, Patricia Alwick, to come and be available when Emily wasn't. Everyone now knew about Sofia being officially declared dead and most of the law enforcement throughout the city had scrambled to make appointments with either counselor, as they were shaken by the loss of their colleague.

During a quiet moment, Emily found herself thinking about how fortunate she was to be alive and about how Tim was watching James, Julliet, and Jesse at the hotel so she could work. Tommy and Diana were also at the hotel watching Emilio, Jessica, and Matthew so that Jenny and Jason could help Captain Curtis clean Ryan and Sofia's house and prepare a funeral.

Ryan was doing better physically, but had chosen to simply take it easy and spend time with Carlos while helping with funeral planning as he was able to. He had stayed for the autopsy and then left again, wanting to rest with Carlos.

"Doctor Speedle?"

Emily looked up from her laptop and saw that Sara was there, looking both concerned and anxious, "Sara, how are you?" she asked kindly. "If you're wanting to talk…"

Sara sighed, "I'm actually doing very well because I spend a lot of my time with Gregory and Danielle, but I came in to drop paperwork off for Grissom," she replied calmly. "How are you?"

"I wonder if I'm in need of a counselor myself, to be honest," Emily admitted softly, her expression concerned. "The way Sofia died was tragic and Ryan's not doing so well either."

Sara nodded and sat on the couch, "I want more than anything to get Ryan out of this city, but I'm scared he won't want to or that Captain Curtis won't want her grandson so far away," Emily spoke in a worried voice. "We haven't talked about after the holidays, but we need to."

Before Sara could reply, the door opened and Hodges poked his head in, "Uh, Doctor Speedle, your brother's here again," he spoke in a concerned voice. "Looks like he took a taxi."

Emily frowned, but followed Hodges out to the front, shocked when she saw Ryan sitting in the waiting area wearing sweats and a hoodie, his crutches sitting beside him. He looked like he'd been crying, but he was clean and his hair was washed. He looked up at Emily silently.

"Um, I heard the lab was offering free counseling and I know you can't do it cause of the conflict of interest, but would you be mad if I talked to the other one?" Ryan asked in a quiet voice.

Emily smiled as she sat down next to him, "No," she replied softly. "What happened to you was truly tragic and you will feel better if you want to talk about it to whoever you want to."

Ryan nodded and sighed, "The nightmares aren't as frequent because of the sleeping pills, but I just feel like I need to talk about it," he spoke softly. "Maybe the drugs are causing some of…"

Swallowing hard, Ryan lifted his trembling hand and Emily gently began massaging it, "It takes time," she spoke softly. "Sara, since I know you followed, can you see if Dr. Alwick's free?"

Sara, who had followed Emily, nodded and went in search of the visiting counselor, "There's so many people around to keep an eye on Carlos that I thought it might be nice to see if I could actually face a counselor," Ryan spoke softly. "It helps that Grissom went off to New York."

Emily nodded as footsteps approached, "Officer Wolfe?" a kind voice asked softly.

Ryan looked up and saw a smiling woman lingering there, "I'm Patricia Alwick," the woman spoke in a kind voice. "Sara said that you want to talk to me? I have time now…"

Nodding, Ryan slowly got up and followed Patricia off down the hallway, leaving Sara and Emily alone, "You're right," Sara spoke softly, gazing at Emily. "Ryan doesn't look well."

* * *

Plaza Hotel - Manhattan, New York

It had been Mac's advice, after Flack had notified him about Fred Yokas, that Flack and Robert go to the Plaza Hotel and wait for information while he personally investigated the cemetery.

Now, as Robert and Flack entered the suite, they could see Natalia watching TV in the main room while quiet filled the air, "Hey," Natalia spoke warmly, spotting them.

Robert sighed tiredly and Natalia frowned, "Have you been crying?" she asked in a concerned voice as she got up and hurried over to him. "What happened? Is Rick worse?"

"Fred Yokas, the guy who killed Maggie, is alive," Robert spoke softly. "Donnie and I had stepped out of the hospital for a breather and we saw him. Sackheim used him as an informant."

Natalia's eyes widened in shock and she immediately embraced Robert, "Horatio's downstairs having a snack with Stella, but I can call him to come up," she spoke softly. "He came, but you weren't here, so he went downstairs. I can't imagine how hard this is for you…"

"It's making me wonder things," Robert replied. "I asked someone to check Maggie's grave."

Natalia gasped and held Robert tighter, "I don't know what any of this means, so I want to keep it from BJ and Adam for now," he spoke softly. "Where are they, anyway?"

"Taking a nap," Natalia spoke gently. "We went swimming after breakfast."

Flack sighed, "Bobby could use a nap, I bet," he commented quietly. "Mac and Jo will tell me what they find at the cemetery and I'll call you. Just get some rest in the meantime."

"Donnie, I'm sorry I'm such a flake, but I didn't expect to see _that_," Robert spoke softly.

Flack nodded, "Neither did I," he admitted quietly. "Are you gonna go visit Fred?"

"I might," Robert replied softly. "Why would he want me to contact him, though?"

Natalia looked concerned, but didn't get a chance to say anything because the door opened and Horatio came in, "Hi," Horatio spoke softly, immediately frowning when he saw that something was clearly up.

Robert sighed anxiously, "I need a walk or a swim or something," he spoke in a shaking voice. "I'm too anxious to sleep and I can't just sit here and wait for news on the headstones."

"Bobby, what happened?" Horatio asked quietly, his face filled with concern.

Robert swallowed hard, "Donnie and I saw and talked to Fred Yokas today," he squeaked.

Horatio looked taken aback, "The man who murdered your daughter," he spoke softly.

Robert nodded, but didn't say anything, "Detective Taylor and Detective Danville of the Crime Lab went to check the cemetery where Maggie and Amanda are buried just in case there's more to Fred's story than he's shared," Flack spoke quietly. "Mac told us to come back here."

Natalia led Robert over to the couch and turned the TV off as they sat down, "Detective Flack, I'd like you to call me personally or have Detective Taylor call when you hear something and I will tell Bobby myself," Horatio spoke firmly. "We've just checked into this hotel and Stella is currently in our room having a nap and unwinding, so I'll be nearby and I don't want my nephew getting any more anxious than he already is…"

Flack nodded and quietly left, "I thought you were staying with Stella?" Natalia asked softly.

"Stella attempted to find Emily Yokas today and she couldn't locate her, so she became very anxious," Horatio spoke quietly. "Stella is still recovering from the attack and became worried about the possibility of a second attack, so I offered to check us in here and she accepted."

Robert exhaled anxiously, "Bobby, go and rest," Horatio spoke firmly. "This whole thing is triggering memories and I don't want you to have a full-blown panic attack, all right?"

Swallowing hard, Robert shakily got to his feet and retreated to the bedroom he and Natalia were sharing, "Natalia, I trust you know about Bobby's past," Horatio spoke quietly. "Do you?"

Natalia nodded, "Just be there for him," Horatio spoke softly. "All right?"

"Always," Natalia spoke in a quiet voice. "You'll wake us if the Crime Lab calls, right?"

Horatio nodded and remained silently on guard as Natalia went to be with Robert. He settled himself on the couch in the main area near the phone and let out a quiet sigh before reaching into his jacket and pulling out Sofia's letter; he was curious as to what she had to say to him.

* * *

Manhattan Cemetery

"What a quiet place," Jo commented in a soft voice as she and Mac got out of Mac's vehicle in front of the cemetery where Amanda and Maggie were buried. "It seems off the beaten path."

Mac nodded, "Detective Caine chose a spot where he knew that his family would be safe from the chaos that killed them," he explained quietly. "Flack's supposed to come check the site once a week, but things have been busy lately and he hasn't had time. It's not very far inside."

Jo grabbed her kit and followed Mac into the cemetery, frowning when she immediately noticed that the snow on the path ahead was disturbed, "Mac, footprints," she spoke quietly. "They're too small to be an adult's, but I don't know if a kid was just visiting here or if they were…"

Mac suddenly froze as he saw that a grave had been dug up, "Jo, look," he whispered softly.

Jo and Mac carefully made their way over to the site and saw that the tombstone was laying flat on the ground while the hole had been emptied, "The stone says Margaret Amanda LaRusso-Caine," Mac spoke in a concerned voice. "The casket's not here. It's a stolen body."

"Why would anyone want to steal a dead child?" Jo asked crossly. "That's barbaric."

Mac sighed, got out his flashlight, and shone it into the grave, "It looks like the casket was dug out recently, but before the snow," he spoke softly. "Why would anyone want it?"

Jo walked over to the grave beside it, "Amanda Stetler-LaRusso," she read off the stone. "This grave looks undisturbed and dusty. Whoever did it just wanted the body of the little girl."

"Flack said that Fred Yokas invited Detective Caine to come see him and I want in on it, but I don't think Fred will be responsive if NYPD show up at his door," Mac spoke in a thoughtful voice. "You and I might have to go with Lieutenant and Detective Caine without a fuss."

Jo nodded, "I hope whatever this is, Detective Caine can have some closure," she replied softly. "I was part of the FBI when his girl went missing and I heard that the case broke his heart."

"We'll do what we can to bring closure to everyone," Mac replied in a somber voice.

* * *

Please read and review!


	3. Holiday Surprises - December 20, 2006

**December 20, 2006**

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

"Greg, are you on your way out?" Greg heard a quiet voice ask as he lingered in the locker room. "I know you're in a hurry, but I have something for you."

Greg sighed as he saw Grissom approach with an envelope in hand, "While I was in New York, I managed to visit Ellen Seville in jail and she asked me to give you some letters she had written recently and some ones she had written when you were younger," he spoke softly. "Before you go, I'd like to give them to you."

Silence filled the locker room as Greg's eyes filled with tears and he took the envelope, "I know you were busy out there, so thank you for taking the time to do this," he spoke softly. "I wrote Ellen, but I wasn't sure if she cared…."

Grissom nodded, "Are you going to the service?" Greg asked as he put the envelope in the backpack he was taking with him. "Everyone from the department…"

"Ryan asked me to not attend," Grissom replied quietly. "He believes that I am partially responsible for what happened to him, John, and Sofia because I was the supervisor in charge of arranging protection. I did my best considering all things"

Greg sighed, "The crappy budget didn't help," he replied softly. "It's not your fault."

Grissom, however, said nothing as Greg left the locker room because he knew that he was partially to blame for what had happened. He silently made his way out of the locker room and down the hallway to his office, almost reaching it when he spotted Catherine in her office, sitting behind her desk while Lenny lay on her couch, silently reading a book. There was no sign of Lindsey or Rick, so Grissom was confused.

"Hey," Grissom spoke in a quiet voice. "Aren't you going to the service?"

Catherine sighed as she looked at him, "No, I'm here doing paperwork and I brought Lenny with me cause he's having some anxiety over what's been going on with Rick," she explained in a quiet voice. "Lindsey's over at a friend's, but will come here later."

"You two will eventually have to figure things out for the sake of your kids," Grissom spoke in a concerned voice. "Having married parents who live so far apart…"

Catherine suddenly looked uneasy, "We're going to sit down and begin divorce proceedings in the new year," she spoke softly. "Somehow, Rick got access to email and he said we can't keep doing this song and dance. The kids will stay here for school and they'll have visits on holidays with Rick if they want to."

"Lindsey hates him," Lenny spoke softly, not looking up. "I…I don't know yet."

Catherine gave Lenny a sympathetic look, "It's okay to not know how you feel about what's been happening," she spoke gently. "Just know that Lindsey and I love you."

Lenny nodded and quietly returned to his book, "I'll be here in case we get any assignments," Grissom spoke quietly. "Let me know if you need anything."

Catherine nodded and Grissom made a beeline for his office, frowning when he saw Sara in there looking less than pleased, "Good to see you back," Sara spoke in a cross voice. "I had no idea you were coming back. You didn't come to the house and I was in the locker room when I overheard you talking to Greg about Ellen…"

"My flight got delayed several hours," Grissom replied in a quiet voice.

Sara sighed, "I was just wondering if your phone was broken when you were in New York since I didn't hear from you," she replied softly. "Your mom didn't hear from you either and we spent time wondering if you were okay…"

"I was really busy," Grissom replied quietly. "Because of Victims Assistance rules, I can't really talk about what all I did. I'm back now, though, and happy to see you."

Sara nodded, although she wasn't sure if she believed him or not, "What are you going to do while everyone else is at the service?" she asked in a soft voice.

"Probably do work paperwork and also look through the unsolved cases Victims Assistance is overseeing," Grissom replied calmly. "There are a few…"

Sara frowned, "I thought we could go home, get the kids, and take them to the park," she spoke in a concerned voice. "We haven't spent a lot of time as a family lately."

"It's been busy because we're shorthanded and training both Ray and the techs," Grissom replied calmly. "When I'm serving my suspension in January, we'll have more time to spend together. As far as me talking to Ellen goes, that was business and it was someone I could help, as Detective Caine won't let me near Rick Stetler."

Before Sara could reply, the phone rang and Grissom answered it, prompting Sara to leave the office so he could work; she hated it, but Grissom was a true workaholic and didn't seem to see anything wrong with putting work before his young family.

* * *

**Manhattan, New York**

"You're unusually quiet," Rick spoke in a tired voice as he looked at Robert, who was lingering near the window of the hospital room. "Did something happen?"

Robert sighed as he turned back to the bed and saw that Rick was awake, "The guy who killed Maggie is alive and her grave was dug up," he spoke softly. "I'm going to meet Fred Yokas whenever someone comes to sit with you. How are you feeling?"

Rick frowned and sighed, "I'd say I don't feel good, but you seem to be having a much worse day," he replied softy. "I…I rented a laptop from the library cart."

Nodding, Robert took a seat beside the bed to listen, "What I've done has made news across the country even though I can't remember all of it," he spoke softly. "Lenny and Lindsey sent me emails, but they're scared of me. I told Catherine that in the new year, we need to initiate divorce proceedings. I can't keep doing this drama anymore."

Just then, a calm looking male doctor came into the room holding a chart, "Morning, Sergeant," he said calmly. "Once we get you stabilized, you can be released."

"I thought you were doing better?" Robert asked worriedly. "What else is wrong?"

Rick sighed heavily, "I've got Type Two diabetes," he spoke quietly. "They think it was triggered through the torture I've been through over the years taking a toll…"

"Are you going to need insulin?" Robert asked worriedly. "How can I help?"

Rick looked at Robert tiredly before looking at the doctor, "He's family," he said.

"Rick's not bad enough to need insulin, but if he doesn't start getting proper rest, exercise, and meals, he might eventually need it," the doctor replied quietly.

Robert nodded, "When I first got the diagnosis, I decided to let go of my marriage and then focus on simplifying things when I get home," Rick said softly. "Hence, the hiring of the deputy. Doctor Speedle will be able to help ease my stress at work."

"Rick, you're welcome to stay at our house even though your kids are in Vegas," Robert spoke quietly, concern in his face. "I brought you clothes the other day, but you were asleep and so they're still in the bag. I bet you'd feel better with a shower."

Rick sighed tiredly, "You don't have time for that and I'm not allowed to use the bathroom without assistance," he spoke groggily. "I…I'll be fine…I think."

Robert, however, proceeded to grab some clean clothes from the bags he had brought and put them in the bathroom. He then helped Rick out of bed, into the bathroom, and helped him into the shower after removing his gown. Rick didn't argue as he was cleaned up, dressed in clean clothes, and helped back to the safety of his bed.

"Thank you," Rick spoke in a trembling voice. "I…I don't mean to be trouble."

Robert sighed, "You're not," he replied softly. "Did you want something to eat?"

Rick silently closed his eyes to sleep, "Hey," a voice suddenly spoke. "Am I early?"

Robert looked up and was surprised to see Sully with John, "I heard you needed some help today and Caira offered to babysit for Mikey and Emily while David and Ellie are at school and my parents are at work," John spoke quietly. "She needs the money."

"Yelina took Nicolas to see Santa and Ray Junior's in school," Sully commented.

Robert smiled as he stood up, "Thank you," he spoke softly. "John, are you sure?"

"Sergeant Stetler did try to help me when I was in trouble, so why can't I help him now?" John asked in a quiet voice, giving Robert a look. "I really don't mind."

Nodding, Robert gathered his personal things and left the room, his body trembling as he made his way downstairs to the atrium. He went outside, quietly hailed a taxi, and made his way to the cafe where the group would meet before visiting Fred Yokas.

* * *

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

Soft, somber music filled the church as pallbearers, including Tim, Tommy, Hodges, and Nick, carried Sofia's casket to the front of the church where a priest and two photos of Sofia sat. Ryan sat in the front row of the church in a wheelchair while Emily, Diana, Greg, Morgan, Captain Curtis, Ecklie, and several others from the Crime Lab sat. Uniformed officers and others sat in rows further back.

Jenny was in an adjoining room looking after Carlos, Jessica, Matthew, James, Julliet, Jesse, and Emilio with Jason's help. The funeral itself would be short and there would be a wake after, but Ryan wasn't sure if he wanted to actually attend or just hide.

Ryan managed to speak about his love for Sofia to the congregation and then immediately wheeled himself out of the chapel, unable to sit through another moment of the service. He had used the wheelchair that day because he was feeling lightheaded from his trip to visit Dr. Alwick the other day and needed to take it easy.

As Ryan settled himself in the foyer, he was unaware that he had been followed and flinched when he felt the wheelchair brake being set, "It's all right," a soothing voice spoke. "It's just me. I saw you leave and I sensed you were overwhelmed."

Ryan looked up and was relieved to see Lady Heather standing over him, completely clad in a modest black outfit, "Doctor Kessler, I never thought to thank you for sitting with Sofia and for visiting us at our home when she was sick," he spoke softly. "Your words and what you did to bring us comfort…it helped make things easier."

"Your niece felt that my services might help you both," Lady Heather replied softly.

Ryan nodded and sniffled, "I don't even want to be here today, but it's expected and I could barely make it through my stupid little speech," he spoke in a trembling voice.

Lady Heather moved Ryan over to some chairs and sat down next to him, "You haven't eaten today," she observed softly. "You're suffering from many things…"

"I couldn't," Ryan spoke softly, sighing. "I would have thrown it up."

Lady Heather nodded, her expression calm, "You made our time before the kidnapping better because you taught us how to be intimate without causing pain," Ryan spoke softly, his eyes filling with tears. "I need help not feeling pain.."

Lady Heather gently placed her hands on Ryan's face and began to stroke it gently, prompting Ryan to close his eyes. A few moments later, she suddenly stopped.

"The service is over," Lady Heather spoke softly. "I know you don't want to put the mask back on, but I can help you more later if you wish. Shall I stay for the meal?"

Ryan nodded and sighed as Emily came over to them, "Hey," she said warmly.

Lady Heather smiled and Ryan sighed, "I…I'm sorry, I just needed some air," he spoke in a quiet voice. "Doctor Kessler decided to sit and talk with me."

"It's all right," Emily replied softly. "Doctor Kessler, will you stay for the meal?"

Lady Heather nodded, "Yes," she replied softly. "I suppose I should find a seat."

As Lady Heather got up and sauntered away, Emily sat down, "I made sure Grissom, Ecklie, and the higher-ups didn't come, but there are a lot of LVPD officers who want to offer their condolences to you," she spoke softly. "Are you feeling up to that?"

"I don't know," Ryan admitted softly. "I thought about this day, but I didn't expect to have to deal with this before Christmas. I risked my life and family to help Horatio and I wasn't protected by the LVPD. John was the only comfort to Sofia…"

Tears filled Ryan's eyes and he began to cry quietly, prompting Emily to hug him.

* * *

**Manhattan, New York**

Warrant in hand, Mac silently led Jo, Robert, and Horatio up to the front door of Fred Yokas's house. It hadn't been hard to get a warrant and Mac felt it necessary.

"Fred Yokas, open up!" Mac commanded sharply. "We have a warrant to search!"

The door opened, revealing Caroline, "A warrant?" she asked crossly. "Why?"

"Open the door or be charged with obstruction," Mac replied sternly. "Fred Yokas invited Detective Caine here and I secured a warrant to search the premises."

Scowling, Caroline opened the door and hurried inside. The sounds of swearing, screaming, and crying suddenly filled the air and Mac quickly drew his gun.

"Stay behind me!" Mac snapped, leading the group into the front room just as a SNAP filled the air. "Jo, get your gun out! That came from the kitchen!"

The group moved into the kitchen just in time to see Caroline shove Charlie into a wall while a whimpering sound came from the closet, "HANDS UP!" Mac roared, aiming his gun at Caroline. "Where's Fred and why are you being so violent?!"

A mix between a whimper and a sob suddenly filled the air and Caroline swore, "Nice going, Charlie," she hissed coldly. "You just had to have compassion on that brat…"

Robert suddenly froze, "I recognize that cry," he spoke in a shaking voice. "But…"

"Daddy?" a quiet voice spoke, the tears suddenly fading. "Daddy?"

Horatio's eyes went wide as a battered Maggie suddenly came out of the closet wearing clothes that were too small for her while her hair sat limp around her shoulders, "Maggie," Robert breathed anxiously. "I…I thought she died…"

"Fred dragged her here!" Caroline snapped. "That dumb FBI agent made him!"

Mac scowled, "Agent Sackheim was killed a long time ago!" he snapped. "You and Fred should have come forward when you heard that Sackheim had been killed!"

"Sackheim said the FBI was watching us!" Caroline snapped angrily.

Robert, meanwhile, walked over to Maggie and was unsurprised when she clung to him, "Mister Fred said you died like Mommy," Maggie whimpered softly.

"I thought you died, my angel," Robert spoke softly. "I'm so, so relieved…"

Maggie coughed and Robert quickly removed his coat and covered her up before scooping her into his arms, "I'm pressing charges," he spoke in a cold voice.

Horatio came over to Maggie, "Hi, sweetheart," he spoke softly. "Your dad and I are gonna take you away from here and to the hospital, all right? Mac, do you mind?"

Caroline swore again, but Robert quickly removed Maggie from the house and was shocked to see more uniformed police and an ambulance gathered outside, "Hey, Bobby, Mac requested backup and medical help here right before you all came over," Flack spoke in a concerned voice, frowning as he saw Robert carrying something.

Robert uncovered Maggie's head, prompting Flack's eyes to widen, "She's _alive_?!" he breathed in an anxious voice. "I thought she was dead; she was here the whole time?!"

"I just want to get her looked at and out of here," Robert spoke anxiously.

Flack led them over to the ambulance where Danielle and Holly were working, "Ladies, I've got a surprise for you," he said worriedly. "Maggie LaRusso-Caine."

Danielle and Holly gaped at Maggie, both of them shocked that the little girl once thought dead was alive, "You just sit here under my coat, sweetie," Robert spoke gently as he got in and laid her on the gurney. "How are you feeling?"

Maggie yawned and coughed as Flack approached the ambulance, "Jo wants to come and process Maggie," Flack spoke softly. "She also wants to know what happened."

"Don't we all," Robert replied softly. "I'd like to get Maggie to a hospital right now."

Flack nodded as Horatio came to the ambulance with a crime kit, "I convinced Detective Danville to let me do the processing and a CSI will meet us there to witness it," Horatio spoke quietly. "Maggie, I'm going to come with you and your dad."

Maggie nodded and yawned, "Go to sleep, angel," Robert spoke softly. "It's okay."

"Okay," Maggie replied in a tired voice, sighing as she closed her eyes to sleep.

Robert sighed and Horatio and Flack climbed into the ambulance, "Mac and Jo will handle things here and they'll dispatch Lindsay to the hospital," Flack explained.

"Uncle Horatio, will you please call Natalia and explain this?" Robert asked softly.

Horatio nodded as the doors closed and the ambulance pulled away from the curb.

* * *

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

"I know I said we'd go school shopping, but we just need to stop by here and offer condolences to Officer Wolfe and his family," Catherine spoke in a concerned voice as she led Lenny and Lindsey into the church. "Just be respectful, all right?"

The church gymnasium was crowded with people, tables, and food and Catherine immediately ushered her twins over to the main table where Ryan was feeding Carlos while Captain Curtis, Tim, Emily, Tommy, Diana, Jason, Jenny, Greg, Matthew, Jessica, James, Julliet, Jesse, and Emilio ate, "Ryan, hi," Catherine spoke softly.

"Hi," Ryan spoke softly, sighing as he looked at Catherine, Lenny, and Lindsey.

Catherine smiled sadly, "How are you holding up?" she asked worriedly.

"I don't know yet," Ryan replied softly. "I…I have to figure so much out."

Catherine nodded and Ryan shakily got to his feet, sighing as he gave Catherine a hug, "Thank you for taking time to stop by," he spoke softly. "It means a lot."

"We're going to stay for a bit, so maybe we can visit later?" Catherine replied softly.

Nodding, Ryan slowly sat back down and picked at his food while Catherine led her children to the buffet tables, "Uncle Ryan, I'm bored," James spoke quietly.

Tim gave James a look, but Ryan sighed patiently, "After we're done eating and we go back to the hotel, we can watch a Christmas movie, okay?" Ryan spoke softly.

James nodded, "Hey, James, why don't you and your dad go get some brownies from the buffet?" Emily spoke in a kind voice. "Tim, please take him over there."

Once that was handled, Emily focused on Ryan, but Ryan remained picking at his food.

* * *

**Manhattan, New York**

The hospital was in chaos because the arrival of Maggie LaRusso-Caine, a little girl who everyone thought dead, had invited the presence of police, paramedics, and media who wanted the story. Instead of being overjoyed at the news, however, Rick found himself sitting on the window seat in his hospital room, staring at the snow that was now falling outside. He had lost all track of time and all feeling in his heart.

"Rick?"

Rick sighed tiredly, "Whoever you are, go away and let me be irritated in peace," he spoke in a cold voice. "My sister…she's not who I thought she was."

Footsteps echoed across the floor, "I'm guessing the word got up here," Sully spoke in a quiet, concerned voice. "It's cold near the window and you'll get sick."

"I thought Amanda was just schizophrenic, but she was also a sociopath because she just let some dude kill her and take her child," Rick spoke softly. "She just _let_ it…"

Sully sighed, "Nobody knows what happened yet, but I know that Caroline Yokas has been arrested and Charlie Yokas is being babysat by a social worker til his mother can get him," he explained. "Maggie's downstairs with Bobby, Yelina, and Horatio…"

"I'm only a reminder of his pain," Rick spoke quietly. "I need to move from his house when I get home and get a condo. It'll be easier on everyone if I just go away."

Sully looked concerned, "Bobby's not going to turn his back on you just because his daughter's alive," he replied quietly. "In fact, he asked me to see if you want to visit Maggie now that she's on the Peds floor. Detective Taylor's visiting with the media."

Rick gave Sully a look, "They want me to see her?" he asked softly.

Sully nodded and Rick shakily stood up, "If she sees me in a wheelchair, she'll get upset," Rick spoke quietly as he clung to his IV stand. "Just walk beside me."

It didn't take long for the two to get to the pediatric ward and Rick froze when he saw that Robert was in Maggie's room, quietly talking to her while she rested. Several cops, including Horatio and Flack, were lingering in the hallway and chatting. Horatio and Flack looked at Rick and Sully.

"I..I heard that my niece wants to see me," Rick spoke in a quiet voice.

Horatio looked concerned, "Should you be walking around?" he asked worriedly.

Rick ignored Horatio and entered the hospital room, sighing as Maggie looked at him before smiling, "Uncle Rick!" she said in an excited voice. "I'm happy to see you."

"How are you, sweetie?" Rick asked softly as he sat down beside her bed.

Maggie sighed, "Daddy said we live in Florida now," she replied softly. "Why?"

"It's warmer," Rick replied quietly, lying through his teeth so that Maggie wouldn't get upset when she didn't need to. "Your dad never did like the cold much."

Maggie nodded, "Daddy also said he got married and that the lady will want oto be my mommy," she spoke in a quiet voice. "What if the lady doesn't like me?"

Just then, footsteps filled the hallway and Rick looked up to see Natalia, who had BJ and Adam with her, talking to Horatio while peering into Maggie's room. All of them looked shocked, but happy, "Natalia's pretty nice," Rick spoke in a kind tone.

"My mommy wasn't nice to me, so I hope this lady is," Maggie spoke sleepily.

Rick nodded, his expression kind even though hearing about Amanda being abusive hurt. Thankfully, Natalia came into the room with BJ and Adam right then.

"Maggie!" BJ and Adam spoke excitedly as they hurried over to the bed.

Rick silently got up and slipped out of the room when Maggie focused on her brothers and Natalia. He didn't stop walking until he was back in his hospital room and he got into bed, determined to feign sleep so that he could think about Amanda by himself.

Back in Maggie's room, Natalia found herself smiling at the little girl and hoping that it would be an easy process to adopt her like it was to adopt BJ and Adam, "Are you my mommy now?" Maggie asked softly, gazing at Natalia. "You're very pretty."

Natalia chuckled and Maggie quickly grabbed her hand before yawning, "Go to sleep," Natalia spoke gently, giving her hand a squeeze. "I promise you we'll stay."

Unknown to them, Sully had silently left to first check on Rick and then to check on Danielle, as he knew Maggie being found would remind her that Maritza hadn't been.

* * *

_Danielle, where are you? I checked with the ER and they said you left._

Sighing, Danielle looked at her phone and quietly typed a response as Holly drove towards Bosco's precinct. They had spent a considerable amount of time at the hospital to make sure Maggie was okay and admitted before leaving, but the word had gotten out quickly among law enforcement and Danielle was worried about her husband's feelings. Maggie being found had reminded them of what they didn't have.

"Danielle, do you want me to stick around?" Holly asked in a concerned voice.

Quickly realizing that they were at the precinct, Danielle pocketed her phone and sighed, "You've got lots of others to oversee," she spoke in a concerned voice.

"Carlos is at his rehab appointment with Dr. Pride and Tommy is with them," Holly replied in a concerned voice. "You look as if you could use a friend right now."

Danielle nodded, "I'm happy that Bobby's got his daughter back, but it's a reminder that Maritza's still missing and Maurice is still very broken by her disappearance," she explained in a concerned voice. "I'm sure he's heard about Maggie by now…"

Holly nodded, "Maybe just hang out?" Danielle suggested. "Til I talk to him?"

Without waiting for a response, Danielle went into the precinct and noticed that a lot of the officers on-duty were gathered around the television, watching Mac and other NYPD officials talk about Maggie's re-appearance. She quickly found Maurice's office and saw that he was sitting at his desk, quietly listening to the radio.

"Maurice, hey," Danielle spoke worriedly as she came to his side. "How…?"

Bosco suddenly started crying and Danielle immediately pulled him into a hug, knowing that he was hurting over Maritza still being lost while Maggie had been miraculously found, "How…how is it that she's still lost?" he whispered.

Danielle kissed his forehead, "I'm sorry," she whispered softly. "I love you."

Bosco nodded and exhaled, "John and Caira are babysitting Mikey and Emily and they'll look after David and Ellie if they get home before Yelina and Nicky do," Danielle spoke in a kind voice. "Did you want to go somewhere and talk?"

"I'm not gonna get any more work done here," Bosco muttered in a tired voice as he got up and grabbed his winter coat. "Missing Persons is too cheap to keep the case open and I'm happy for LaRusso. It's just hard knowing we can't have a miracle…"

Danielle helped Bosco put on his coat and held him as they walked to the front desk and he signed out before they left quietly. The ambulance was no longer there.

"Holly must have gotten a call," Danielle spoke softly. "Feel like walking?"

Bosco shrugged and the two set off down the street, holding hands as they walked, "Did you wanna go hang out at a club?" Danielle asked softly. "One with food?"

"I actually wouldn't mind just being somewhere quiet with you," Bosco replied softly.

Danielle nodded, "We could go home and have a nap," she said in a gentle voice.

Bosco looked relieved at the idea of being in the apartment and so he hailed a cab, remaining quiet during the ride home. It didn't take long for them to get up to the apartment and when they arrived, all was quiet and John and Caira were sitting on the couch, watching a Christmas movie, "Hey," Danielle called out in a kind voice.

"Mom, Mikey and Emily are napping," John spoke quietly, frowning when he saw the tired expression on his father's face. "Isn't Dad supposed to be at work?"

Bosco shrugged and stalked off into the master bedroom, "Maggie LaRusso was found alive today, John," Danielle spoke in a concerned voice. "Turn the news on."

John did as he was told and frowned at seeing Mac on the screen, "…T_he FBI has been informed and we hope that they will cooperate with the investigation into Agent Sackheim's reasoning for holding Maggie LaRusso hostage for so long without informing law enforcement_," Mac spoke somberly as Robert came into view.

Anxious talking and photo flashes filled the screen as Robert sighed, "_My name is Robert LaRusso-Caine and I would simply like to thank Detective Taylor and the NYPD for discovering that my daughter is alive_," he spoke softly. "_Thank you_."

Danielle sighed, "LaRusso's new wife will probably want to adopt her since she adopted BJ and Adam right after they got married," Bosco spoke in a concerned voice, having come out to get some tea. "Most judges are on holidays, but I should see if I can get a judge to sign off on it so they don't have to wait…"

"How do you know that, Dad?" John asked in a confused voice, ignoring the news.

Bosco sighed as he made a beeline for the phone, "I kept in touch with my partner after he left New York and so did your ma," he replied calmly. "Through email."

* * *

Night fell and dinner was served shortly after sunset, but Rick didn't eat it because he was so disturbed by Maggie's comments about Amanda. He instead sat by the window, silently wondering what more he could have done to help Amanda with her health.

The door opened and Mac came into the room, "Hello, Detective Taylor," Rick spoke in a quiet voice as he turned and saw Mac. "Are you here to discuss the case?"

Mac shrugged, "I heard that you visited your long-lost niece earlier," he observed quietly. "She's in surprisingly good shape for someone who was held prisoner."

Rick sighed, but said nothing, "Deep bruises, dehydration, malnutrition, and a small amount of bacterial pneumonia," Mac commented. "Along with healed fractures."

"I already knew my sister was violent," Rick replied softly. "Like our parents…"

Mac looked concerned, "When I visited Maggie, she asked me if Natalia was nice because her mother was mean to her," Rick spoke softly. "I said Natalia was nice and did my best to look calm for Maggie's sake, but I was breaking. From what I've been told, I was raped and tortured before I killed someone…but I can't remember it."

"What happened to you beyond your control doesn't automatically mean you're a violent person," Mac replied quietly, frowning at the disturbed expression on Rick's face. "You've been through something terrible and everyone understands that."

Rick shrugged, "I'm sure Horatio's priming the MDPD to label me as violent enough to lose my job over this," he hissed tiredly. "I saw his face when I went to visit Maggie; he was disgusted that I dare try to have a connection to what little…"

Pain shot through Rick's body and he forced himself back to his bed before cursing loudly, "What's going on in here?" Robert asked as he suddenly entered the room with BJ and Adam and tow. "Rick, Natalia's staying with Maggie and I'm taking the boys back to the hotel so my uncle and Stella can babysit. I'll come back…"

"Good night, Uncle Rick," Adam spoke in a quiet voice. "I hope you feel better."

Rick forced a smile on his face, "Night, buddy," he spoke softly. "Thank you."

BJ gave Rick a hug, as did Robert, "I'll be back before you know it," Robert spoke in a reassuring voice. "Just enjoy your dinner and I'll bring you some books, all right?"

Once Robert and his sons were gone, Rick silently ate and then pushed the tray away, "Running won't help and I bet you wouldn't get very far before you passed out," Mac observed, taking a seat beside the bed. "You're trembling and you look anxious."

"It's better to go through withdrawals alone," Rick spoke in a pained voice, exhaling anxiously as he spoke. "I started feeling bad when I was visiting with Maggie and I'm feeling worse now. I don't want Bobby freaking out, but I need a nurse right…"

Mac frowned as Rick vomited on the dinner tray and he quickly pressed the nurse's call button. Kim, who was working a double shift that day while Jimmy stayed with the kids, came quickly, "I'm having withdrawals," Rick spoke in a pained voice.

"Detective Taylor, would you mind helping me out?" Kim asked in a concerned voice as she got Rick off the bed and took the bedclothes, Rick's clothes, and moved Rick away from the mess. "We're a bit short staffed cause of holidays and the flu."

Mac nodded and helped Rick into some of the clean clothes that Robert had left behind while Kim cleaned the mess and redressed the bed. Once Rick was back in bed, Kim checked his vitals, "I'll get you something for how you're feeling, but I'd highly suggest you just stay in bed and rest tonight. Do you have anyone staying the night?"

"Supposedly," Rick replied in a weak voice, drained from vomiting and being moved around while Kim cleaned. "I…I'm going to rest now. I feel nauseous and shaky."

Mac looked concerned, "You act as if you've gone through this before," he spoke.

"Being drugged against my will isn't anything new," Rick replied softly, sighing as he suddenly felt sleepy. "Look, I'm tired. I'd rather not revisit the past tonight."

As Rick drifted off to sleep, Mac's phone buzzed and he stepped out in the hallway to answer it so Rick could rest undisturbed, "Taylor," he spoke, answering the phone.

"_Fred Yokas is in the wind_," Flack's voice filled the phone. "_And untraceable_."

Mac sighed heavily, "Did you talk with Detective Yokas and Emily Yokas?" he asked in a concerned voice. "I'm sure they're aware of the happenings from the news…"

"_Detective Yokas and Captain Miller have both been interviewed and Charlie Yokas is now in their custody_," Flack explained. "_Caroline Yokas has been booked, but won't tell us anything about where her husband might be_. _Emily Yokas told her mother that she'd be spending the day in NA meetings and cops aren't allowed to disrupt those_."

Mac exhaled softly, "I'll phone Emily and leave a message on her voicemail that NYPD needs to talk to her about the current situation," he spoke quietly. "Bye."

* * *

**_Bus Station_**

Emily Yokas's phone buzzed and she checked it, feeling very anxious as she sat down with a packed bag and backpack, "Mac Taylor," she murmured anxiously. "No way."

Swallowing hard, Emily put the phone in her purse and sighed anxiously. She had been emailing Derek Stokes for weeks and he had been released from his halfway house, been granted enough money from his family trust to live comfortably, and now wanted her to come visit and help him get his daughter and his son back to him.

In their conversations, Derek had confided that he had had a daughter with another woman, but that the woman and his younger brother, Nick, were doing everything they could to keep her away from him. Emily had told him that her mother had acquired full custody of Alex through the courts and she needed his help.

Emily did feel guilty about leaving Alex behind, but her mother had insisted that she visit only for short times and with supervision. Not too long ago, however, Faith had told her that her father was alive, but was in trouble along with Caroline and that Charlie would be staying at the house; she was worried about Charlie being exposed to a bad influence and had suggested that the visits with Alex be postponed for a time.

Angry that her mother was now deliberately trying to push her out of Alex's life, Emily had simply said she'd be in NA meetings all day and had quickly bought a bus ticket to Austin, Texas. She would go, set up a life with Derek, and then return to New York with him to claim Alex back. She would show her mother that she was capable.

"_The bus to Austin, Texas is now arriving_," a voice suddenly boomed over the intercom that was right near where Emily was sitting. "_The bus to Austin_…"

Smiling, Emily gathered her things and walked over to where the bus would park, "Soon, Derek, we'll be together and happy," she spoke in a voice filled with hope.

* * *

_**Please read and review!**_


	4. The Natural Man - December 24, 2006

**December 24**

**Manhattan, New York**

There was no answer at the door and Emily hadn't answered her phone. McKeen had hidden himself away in the bowels of New York, deeply furious that Stella was alive and well after trying to get rid of her. He, however, also knew that Stella was connected to the LaRusso family and that the LaRusso children were more dangerous than their father, so he had decided to leave Stella alone…for the time being.

"Where is she?" McKeen hissed angrily, dialling her number on his cell as he stood outside her apartment. "I promised to help her with John Boscorelli…"

Cursing when there was no answer, McKeen tried the door and found it unlocked, "Emily?" he called out quietly, frowning when he saw an empty apartment.

McKeen quickly realized that Emily's personal things were gone and fury filled his heart, "She _ran_," he growled, his expression murderous. "She's going to _pay_…"

Letting out more curses, McKeen quietly left the apartment and hailed a cab once he got downstairs. He knew Rick was currently a patient at the hospital and to him, Rick was a traitor for giving the feds information about many things. _Rick would pay._

* * *

**Austin, Texas**

Derek's condo was a three-bedroom, two-bathroom bungalow in the residential area of Austin and Emily quickly found herself at home there. Derek had been a perfect gentleman to her since picking her up from the bus and had allowed her a bedroom to herself until they were able to get married in the new year. He had also given her money to decorate the condo for Christmas and had invited his parents to celebrate.

Judge Stokes had been summoned out of town to deal with a situation, but Jillian had agreed to come for the holiday. Derek had invited Nick and his sisters, but he hadn't been able to contact Candace and Maria, Rachel, Emma, and Susannah were very reluctant to visit Derek and his barely-adult girlfriend. Derek was somewhat offended by the lack of support from his sisters, but Emily reassured him her love was real.

Nick, on the other hand, had claimed he needed to work Christmas and couldn't come. In reality, he was scared to bring Parker around Derek due to Derek's shaky mental health and the risk of something happening. Derek felt himself resenting Nick for being a goody-two-shoes and like he was too good to help family out.

"Those are some nice decorations, Em," Emily heard Derek say in a kind voice.

Emily smiled as she looked up from the tree at Derek, but pain suddenly shot through her abdomen and she winced, "Take a break, Em," Derek spoke worriedly. "My mom's coming over to help you cook Christmas stuff since I can't cook well."

"Old injuries flaring up," Emily spoke quietly. "Do I have time for a nap?"

Derek nodded and Emily retreated to the couch, her hands on her sore abdomen as she lay down and went to sleep. A smile filled his face as he turned towards the tree, as he had plans in the new year that included Emily helping him get his children back and punishing Faith Yokas, Greg Sanders, Jenny, and Nick for keeping him from them.

* * *

**Manhattan, New York**

"Bobby, I don't feel right intruding," Rick spoke in an anxious voice as he sat on his hospital bed wearing loose clothes and a winter coat. "Your family is staying there."

Robert sighed patiently, "Rick, you are family," he replied kindly. "Besides, I'm not going to be having you stay on your own on Christmas, especially since you're ill."

"We have to talk about the living situation, actually," Robert spoke quietly. "I don't have any need for the basement suite now that my kids are gone and I know Maggie will want to be upstairs with her brothers. I used the hospital's laptop to…"

A wave of dizziness caused Rick to lower his head, "The doctor warned me that getting too anxious might trigger symptoms," he managed to say weakly.

"Then stop getting anxious," Robert replied simply. "We'll discuss that stuff later, when you're stronger. It's Christmas Eve and it's a time for family."

Rick looked uneasy, "I would ask to visit Mandy's grave, but it would keep you from Natalia and your children," he spoke quietly. "Maggie's first Christmas resurrected."

"It's on the way," Robert replied softly. "I don't mind stopping."

Rick shrugged and silently rose, prompting Robert to gently grab hold of him and guide him over to a wheelchair, "It's supposed to snow later, so we should really get going," Robert spoke gently. "My uncle arranged for an escort from NYPD."

Footsteps suddenly echoed down the hallway and Lindsay Monroe-Messer suddenly came into view visibly pregnant, "Detective Monroe-Messer, hello," Robert spoke in a kind voice. "I'm grateful that you could take the time out of your busy life…"

"I ordered a private car since it's safer than a cab and I'm too big to drive," Lindsay replied in a kind voice. "Danny wanted to come, but Mac thought less people was safer in case there are problems. We're not expecting any, but this _is_ New York."

Robert nodded, "Sergeant Stetler, Head of IAB for Miami," Rick spoke softly, sighing as he looked at Lindsay. "Do you know what happened to me down there yet?"

"I think Miami and New York are working on that," Lindsay replied cheerfully.

Rick scoffed, "Delko working _hard_?" he hissed. "He's not capable of that anymore and he should really knock off being a CSI. His brain injury made him _unstable_."

"I'd rather not bash Eric behind his back," Robert spoke in a quiet voice. "Ready?"

Rick scoffed, "You're very gracious about Delko after he attacked you at that crime scene," he replied in a concerned voice. "Yes…I want out of this place."

Nodding, Robert began pushing the wheelchair while Lindsay walked alongside them with one hand able to access her weapon if she needed it. Lindsay sensed tension, so she remained quiet until they got outside to the parkade where the rental was hidden.

"I don't know why you're all worried," Rick replied. "I'm quite self-reliant."

Lindsay sighed, "We should really get going," she spoke nervously. "All right?"

Robert got Rick settled in the back before getting in the front with Lindsay, buckling up as she drove out of the parkade and into a quiet street. As she drove, Robert looked around at the area and figured that his uncle didn't want them in the middle of the chaos that New York on Christmas Eve was. The vehicle suddenly came to a stop.

"I hate this light," Lindsay groaned. "It makes Danny irritable…"

Suddenly Lindsay frowned as she caught movement in the rearview mirror out of the corner of her eye. She quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, drew her gun, and waited.

"A car's behind us," Lindsay spoke anxiously. "We have to wait til it passes."

Robert gave Lindsay a look, "You're heavily pregnant and you're acting like there's gonna be a firefight," he replied sternly. "Let me be the one to do the shooting."

Deeply grateful for Robert's protective personality, Lindsay sighed and froze as the car came to a stop, "Sergeant Stetler, lie down," she asked in an anxious voice.

Rick frowned, as he was deeply confused by Lindsay's order, but laid down on the seat, "Wait…is that Jeffrey McKeen?" Lindsay asked as someone got out of the vehicle that was behind him. "Detective Caine, get on the radio and call for help!"

As Robert reached for the radio, Lindsay put the car into 'Drive' and began driving off, unsurprised when McKeen retreated to his car and followed. Robert stayed on the radio while McKeen chased them through back streets until finally, their chase was forced on to a busier downtown street where people were enjoying Christmas.

Noise filled the air as people screamed, scattered, and began getting on their phones to notify the police about the chase. The chase itself, however, continued all through the city and down to the harbour where Lindsay parked behind a stack of crates after making sure McKeen had lost them. Pain shot through Lindsay's back, but she ignored it and looked at Detective Caine expectantly, "Well?" she asked softly.

Sirens suddenly filled the air, but Lindsay didn't move the vehicle. She suddenly cringed, exhaled, and sighed before placing a hand on her enlarged belly.

"Detective Monroe-Messer?" Robert asked softly. "Are you all right?"

Lindsay exhaled anxiously as footsteps and shouting filled the air, "POLICE!" a voice shouted. "I found Monroe-Messer's vehicle over here! Detective, are you all right?!"

"I…my water broke," Lindsay managed to say breathlessly. "I'm in labor, Detective."

Rick slowly sat up, severely shaken and nauseous from the chase and knowledge that McKeen was loose in New York, "LINDSAY!" an anxious voice suddenly shouted.

Lindsay exhaled anxiously, but managed to undo her belt and get out of the car, as did Robert, "Sergeant Stetler, are you all right?" she asked in a shaky, worried voice.

"Just a little shaky and nauseous from the chase," Rick managed to reply softly.

Lindsay nodded and exhaled anxiously again as Robert helped Rick out of the car, immediately helping him lean against the vehicle, "We're over here!" Lindsay called out anxiously before sighing helplessly. "Do you need an ambulance, Sergeant?"

Before Rick could reply, several officers including Mac and Danny came running, "Lindsay, are you all right?" Danny asked breathlessly. "We heard it on the radio…"

"I'm in labor," Lindsay spoke anxiously, smiling at Danny. "We should go."

Danny glared at Rick and Robert, "You two idiots put my wife in labor with your needing protection," he hissed coldly. "You better _pray_ that they're all right."

Before Robert could reply, Danny hustled Lindsay off, "I think Rick needs to see a paramedic before we go back to the hotel," Robert spoke in a worried voice.

"I'll walk you over to an ambulance," Mac replied, determined to talk to Danny later about his conduct concerning the job that Lindsay had willingly volunteered for.

* * *

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

A Christmas movie was playing on the TV in the suite's common area, but Ryan was paying no attention to it and was instead resting on the couch with his foot propped up while Carlos, James, and Julliet sat on the floor with their eyes glued to the screen.

"Ryan?"

Ryan looked up from the couch and saw Emily standing there with Jesse in her arms, "People from the Crime Lab are here to visit you," Emily spoke in a quiet voice.

"I hope it's not Grissom," Ryan replied softly. "I…I can't handle seeing him."

Emily shook her head, "It's Sara," she replied softly. "Do you wanna see her?"

"As long as I don't have to get up," Ryan replied softly. "Kinda hard with the leg."

Nodding, Emily moved out of view and came back a moment later with Sara, "Hey," Ryan spoke in a tired voice, sighing as he looked at Sara. "How are you?"

"I'm trying to babysit and failing," Ryan replied softly. "Emily was napping and Diana, Tommy, Jason, and Emilio are helping prep the hotel for the Christmas celebrations. Greg's working and Jenny and their kids are in their room resting…"

Nodding, Sara sat down on the couch, "Grissom's working too, but his mom offered to watch Gregory and Danielle so I could have personal time," she spoke in a quiet voice. "You know, you don't have to go back before you're ready…even if they…"

"I don't know if I can go back to that lab at all," Ryan admitted in a quiet voice. "I…only my family knows this, but Sofia and I had many tender moments before the abduction even when she didn't feel well. We hired Doctor Kessler…"

Sara looked intrigued, "Sofia hurt too much to have regular lovemaking, but she still wanted love," Ryan spoke shakily. "I feel guilty that the burden of her last days was placed on John and Doctor Kessler said I was doing everything I could, but…"

"I know the Crime Lab wasn't exactly fair to you during your recovery," Sara replied in an apologetic voice. "You were tortured and you had no control of yourself."

Ryan sighed, "That's what Doctor Kessler has said and she also said I need to use my pain constructively so it doesn't destroy me, but there's too much pain here," he spoke in a tired voice. "I would leave if I knew that Captain Curtis wouldn't be upset."

"You should talk to her," Sara spoke softly. "Tell Captain Curtis how you feel."

Ryan shrugged, "She herself is angry at LVPD and is grieving over losing Sofia," he spoke in a quiet voice. "It wouldn't be right to bring this up to her so soon."

A knock suddenly sounded at the door and Emily went to answer it, deeply surprised when she saw Captain Curtis standing there, "Are Ryan and Carlos in?" she asked.

Nodding, Emily stepped aside to let her in, "Ryan?" Captain Curtis called out.

Sara's eyes widened in surprise, "I should go," she replied. "Take care of yourself."

Once Sara had left, Captain Curtis sat down across from Ryan and smiled at Carlos watching TV before looking at Ryan, "Ryan, sweetie, I'm sorry I've been distant for the past few days," she spoke in an apolgetic voice. "After the funeral, I was harassed by the media and everyone wanted to offer their condolences. It was too much."

"I know how you feel...sort of," Ryan replied softly. "I've mostly hidden out here."

Captain Curtis nodded, "I don't know if I can serve on the department anymore, seeing as they failed to protect you and my daughter," she replied softly. "I'm thinking of transferring to another precinct in a different city when a position opens up. It's just too hard to keep being here and I know it can't be any easier for you."

"I...I don't know what I'm going to do yet," Ryan admitted softly. "I'm still technically an employee of the Las Vegas Crime Lab, but I'm not sure I can go back to work."

Captain Curtis sighed, "Both Sofia and I know you made a great sacrifice moving out here so that she could be close to me while she had Carlos," she replied in a firm, but gentle voice. "You gave up everything you knew for her and I'm very grateful, but now that she's gone, maybe going back to your roots and your family is a good idea."

Carlos suddenly laid down and fell asleep on the floor, "Oh, looks like Carlos is sleepy," Ryan spoke in a tired voice, as he too was beginning to tire. "So cute."

"It sounds like you could also use a nap, Ryan," Captain Curtis spoke softly.

Ryan nodded and Captain Curtis got up, "Think about what I said," she said softly.

* * *

**Manhattan, New York**

The tree in the apartment had a pile of presents underneath it and the place looked ready for a happy Christmas, but Bosco knew that his happiness would come from helping others. That was why he was sitting at his desk in the precinct, anxiously waiting for Judge Stokes to arrive and say that all the paperwork was done.

A knock sounded on his door and Bosco sighed when he saw Sully come into the room, "Danielle sent me down here to see what you were doing since you're not answering your phone," Sully commented. "Working on Christmas Eve?"

"I'm working on a special project," Bosco replied. "I talked with a federal judge and I'm trying to make life easier for my former partner by helping his wife be able to adopt Maggie and also get her death certificate rescinded. They deserve happiness."

Sully looked confused, "Is that why you've been distant?" he asked softly.

"It's another Christmas and Maritza's still gone," Bosco spoke quietly, his expression somber. "LaRusso's daughter was thought dead and she came back. I keep hoping Maritza will come back, but the case is cold and he's paying for it to stay open..."

Sully sighed, but Bosco scowled, "No pity looks," Bosco hissed darkly.

Before Sully could reply, Judge Stokes came into view holding a briefcase, "Sergeant Boscorelli?" he asked in a brisk voice. "I managed to get the paperwork together."

"Good," Bosco replied calmly. "I know it's the holidays, but he's my former partner…"

Judge Stokes nodded, "I'm glad that little girl can be reunited with her family when there are so many cases where that doesn't happen," he replied softly. "Like yours, Sergeant."

"I try not to think about it, sir," Bosco replied quietly. "Um, anyway, they're staying at the Plaza Hotel in a suite. When they were planning this, Robert told me the details."

Judge Stokes nodded, but said nothing, "I was thinking about seeing if Maggie needs anything and buying it for her," Bosco spoke quietly. "I don't think she has things…"

Swallowing hard, Bosco got up and gathered his coat. Money was tight until after the holidays, but he'd feel bad if he didn't bring presents along for his visit to his friend and his newly reunited family, "Maybe ask the rest of the family if they want to help," Sully chimed in in a quiet voice. "Ellie was friends with Maggie and you know she's been asking questions."

Bosco shrugged, "You're going to all this effort because you're upset about Maritza, but you don't have to do this alone," Sully spoke firmly. "You're internalizing your feelings."

Bosco's radio suddenly came to life, "_Boscorelli, you've been requested at Angel of Mercy Hospital_," a voice stated. "_There was a situation involving Jeffrey McKeen and those involved requested you as protection. Get over to Angel of Mercy ASAP, Boscorelli_."

"I'll meet you over at the Plaza as soon as I can," Bosco spoke to Judge Stokes. "Duty calls."

Judge Stokes nodded and Bosco hurried from the room, frowning when he saw a gaggle of uniforms clustered around the TV. Bosco and Sully watched, horrified when they saw footage of a car chase, "…_According to witnesses, Jeffrey McKeen was pursuing Detective Monroe-Messer, Sergeant Rick Stetler, and Detective Robert Caine in the footage seen here_…"

Sully gasped and Bosco swore, unaware that Judge Stokes was also viewing the footage.

"_Because of the shock, we'd rather put your wife through a C-section, Detective Messer. It's safer for her and the baby than a natural delivery."_

Fury filled Danny's heart as he made his way into the emergency room. He had been forced to leave Lindsay upstairs for a C-section because the trauma of the car chase had triggered her labor and Danny found himself angry at LaRusso and Stetler.

* * *

"…The doctor just wants to keep him on a drip for a couple hours," a voice said.

Danny moved towards the voice and stopped when he saw Robert and Flack talking outside of a curtained off area, "Hey, Danno, where's Lindsay?" Flack suddenly asked in a concerned voice, noticing him. "Mac's in talking to Stetler."

"Lindsay's having a C-Section and she's in there because you and that idiot relative of yours just had to have an escort!" Danny snapped, his expression angry. "I don't know why you just had to have Lindsay of all people you could have asked…"

Robert sighed, "Lindsay was the one assigned," he replied patiently. "Chill _out_, Messer. I honestly have been through the mill these past few days and I can't…"

Danny scoffed, "The mill's being the subject of every news story in New York?" he asked in a cold voice. "All that attention isn't enough? You have to endanger my wife and my kid for some guy who's related to your dead wife?! Maybe the rumors are…"

"If you even _mention_ my mother and my past, I _will_ clock you in the jaw," Robert hissed, glaring at Danny as he cut him off. "I know you've heard the rumors from the old farts who are retired or who are close to it, but don't even mention it."

Flack's eyes widened in surprise, as Bobby had rarely condoned violence even when he was a street cop, "I don't need to hear from another person that I lack awareness," Robert hissed coldly. "I've heard it all over the media that I should have been more aware that my daughter wasn't actually dead instead of running off to Miami…"

Danny looked taken aback, "When I was a kid, I heard rumors about your old man from Louie and his friends," he said anxiously. "Don't turn into a violent scumbag like him. You endangered Lindsay and my kid and you're acting like he was…"

"Danny, that's enough!" Mac spoke sternly, having overheard enough of Danny and Robert through the curtain while talking to Rick that he ended the interview and came out to intervene. "Lindsay volunteered for the assignment! Stop attacking Detective Caine and Sergeant Stetler for what happened! It's not anyone's fault!"

Danny glared at Robert before stalking off, "I heard the rumors too, but I also know that you are not your father," Mac spoke quietly. "I'm sorry about Danny."

Robert sighed, "I don't know much about what Dimitri was up to in New York, but he must have done some terrible things if the cops know him so well," he replied softly, a troubled expression on his face. "I admit, I'm feeling a high level of anxiety right now because of my daughter's return and McKeen trying to chase us all over the city."

"We've got every available unit out looking for McKeen and I'll arrange protection for your family," Mac explained calmly. "You and your family might want to consider getting out of New York as quickly and discreetly as possible after Christmas."

Robert nodded as footsteps filled the air, "Bobby," a concerned voice called out.

Mac and Robert turned just in time to see Bosco and Sully come into view, "We saw the news and thought we'd come to offer protection," Bosco spoke worriedly.

"I don't know how long Rick will need to be here for," Robert spoke softly. "I…"

The curtain flew open, revealing Rick standing there wearing his gown over his pants with his hand clinging to his IV pole, "Messer's right," he hissed coldly. "I'm an idiot and I shouldn't have even asked for help. I caused whatever happened down there…"

"You still don't remember, do you?" Robert asked softly. "About what happened."

Rick sighed and shook his head, "Catherine heard what happened and managed to call before you showed up," he replied softly. "She said it would be better if we weren't together anymore because she has aspirations and I could hurt them. She also said that we'd work out an amicable visitation over the summer, but nothing til then."

"That's why you filed," Robert concluded. "Because of what she said."

Rick nodded and gestured to the IV, "If I keep this in, do you think we can get out of here?" he asked irritably. "I can't take any more of being in the public eye today."

"I'll go charm the nurses," Sully spoke up, seeing that Rick was at his wits-end.

* * *

In the upper-class area of New York, Stella entered the large building that Pavel and Anya owned together. She had enjoyed lunch with Horatio at the Plaza and while he rested in their suite, she was going to help with the Christmas Eve rush.

Pavel was at the main counter, a smile on his face while clad in a nice suit, "Stella, senk you for comeeng," he spoke warmly. "Anya eez not feeling well and Mama eez veeth her. Eet eez Chreesmas Eve, zo, and ze store has been wery, wery busy."

Stella nodded, "What would you like me to do?" she asked quietly.

"I have arranged for some of ze clothes to be delieevered to ze missions for ze homeless," Pavel explained cheerfully, his accent fading. "Ze heads of ze missions are coming to take delivery and I must oversee zat. I need you to go to ze public area of ze store and keep an eye on ze resident doctor while she offers ze medical care."

Stella smiled, "Offering free medical care on Christmas Eve?" she asked softly.

"I am not my fazzer and I use ze LaRusso money for good," Pavel replied calmly, smiling at her. "Doctor Pride got permission to offer her services under supervision and I put her to vork. She eez going through a very hard time at ze moment."

Stella nodded, "I vill show you to ze public area," Pavel said, standing up. "Come."

The walk to the public area was short and Stella was surprised when she saw Dr. Pride, Hawkes, Sid, several other doctors, and several paramedics, including Holly and Jacob, using medical supplies to care for a crowd that had gathered. Detective Angell and a few other people, including Ty and Flack, that Stella knew to be cops, were lingering, all of them dressed in plainclothes.

"I asked ze police to dress in normal clothes so ze homeless do not feel intimidated, but zere eez safety," Pavel explained softly. "I vill be back een a little while."

Pavel left and Stella walked over to Flack and Angell, "Hi," she spoke softly.

"Where's your man at, Stella?" Flack spoke kindly. "I thought he'd be here…"

Stella sighed, "Horatio's taking a nap, but we'll meet up later," she replied quietly, her expression troubled as she suddenly noticed some of the other plainclothes giving her dirty looks as if she didn't belong free. "Pavel asked me to come keep an eye on this."

"Don't mind them," Flack spoke, noticing the looks. "They just want to be home…"

Stella sighed, but dropped the issue and instead went over to where the paramedics were working, "I know I let Danielle have the day off, but I'm wondering if I should call her in," Holly was speaking. "I've been feeling nauseous and tired all day."

Jacob looked worried, "Sit down for a minute, boss," he replied worriedly.

Holly sat down on a chair and sighed tiredly, "I'm sorry, I've been pulling so many hours since Carlos isn't able to work yet and FDNY's saying he might not ever be able to go back," she spoke anxiously. "Tommy's done finals, so he babysits Kylie, grocery shops, and looks after the house. I'm just so tired…"

Jacob frowned, "Didn't he euthanize Bernard Marquez while Dimitri LaRusso held a gun to his head and pumped him full of drugs?" he asked worriedly. "Why are…?"

"The recovery's slow, but Carlos is trying his best," Holly wept softly. "He really…"

Without warning, Holly passed out on the floor, "Holly!" Ty called out anxiously as he hurried over to his friend. "Someone get a gurney! Doctor Pride, please…"

Noise filled the air as Dr. Pride gathered supplies and hurried over to where Holly lay, "I'm going to call Danielle to see if she can come in to help us finish this day out," Jacob said as he took out his phone. "I know it's Christmas Eve, but we need help."

* * *

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

"You don't have to leave the room, Ryan," Ryan heard a concerned voice say as he hobbled off the elevator and saw Tommy, Diana, and several hotel employees decorating for Christmas and setting up the buffets. "I can order you food."

Ryan sighed tiredly as he approached his brother, "Sara and Captain Curtis came to visit and I need some air," he spoke quietly. "Captain Curtis is wanting to leave Vegas when she can get a transfer and she told me to take Carlos and go back to Miami…"

Tommy looked surprised and quickly ushered Ryan over to a soft chair that was in a quiet social area so they could sit, "I'm almost worried Grissom's going to show up with a date I need to be back to work since it seems to be the day that LVPD has chosen to visit," Ryan spoke anxiously. "I…I don't want to see Grissom at all."

"I get that," Tommy replied quietly. "He was your supervisor and didn't do everything he could to keep you safe after you put your neck on the line looking for Horatio Caine. I heard the excuses of budget, but that was a federal investigation."

Ryan sighed wearily and suddenly frowned, "Grissom?" he asked softly.

Tommy turned and frowned when he saw Grissom, Sara, and an older woman come into the hotel with a stroller holding two infants, "They must be here for the Christmas Eve buffet," he spoke softly. "Do you want me to ask them to leave?"

"No, I'll just stay hidden," Ryan replied softly. "They're customers."

Tommy nodded and walked over to the Grissom family, "Welcome to the Wolfe Trails Hotel," he spoke in a calm voice. "Are you here for the Christmas Eve buffet?"

"I heard it's a good one," Grissom replied calmly. "How are you doing?"

Tommy sighed patiently, "Well enough considering all things," he replied calmly, quickly gesturing towards the food court area. "The buffet is still being set up, but you and your family are welcome to be seated anywhere you like. Pricing is reasonable…"

"I honestly tried everything I could to protect Ryan, Sofia, and John Boscorelli," Grissom spoke in an apologetic voice, his expression somber. "I'm facing a month-long suspension in January for it even though I tried hard to make them feel safe."

Tommy nodded, as he had heard that, "And the sheriff's getting replaced," he replied in a calm voice. "I also heard about how a student from the pilot project had a hand in Horatio Caine's kidnapping. How on earth did nobody notice what was happening?"

"Colin Jamison had some severe mental issues and issues with depression," a voice suddenly spoke softly. "He should have never been allowed into that program."

Tommy turned to see Ryan lingering there on his crutches, "I thought the pilot program itself was a good idea, but there should have been better background checks on the applicants," Ryan spoke tersely. "Two of the applicants are now in jail awaiting trial, one is in a mental institution, and everyone else was left deeply scarred."

"The LVPD is trying to come up with a solution to compensate those affected by what happened, but it's difficult," Grissom replied softly. "We can't find half the kids."

Ryan shrugged, "Maybe they don't want to relive it," he replied softly. "I sure don't."

"The trial for Horatio Caine's kidnapping isn't until May, but the trial for McKeen doesn't have a date as of yet," Grissom spoke apologetically. "He's still missing and the new sheriff will be responsible for deciding if it actually happens at all…"

Ryan paled and Grissom sighed, "LVPD is debating about cold casing it because of budgetary reasons," Grissom apologized. "I'm trying to keep it open through Victims Assistance funding, but the funding is needed elsewhere too. I might apply for grants to keep the investigation going, but without McKeen…there is not much of a case."

"Enjoy your dinner," Ryan said coldly as he turned away. "All of you."

* * *

**Manhattan, New York**

The sounds of the television greeted Robert as he and Rick came into the suite after being dropped off by Bosco and Sully. Natalia was sitting on the living room couch with Adam and Maggie on either side of her while BJ sat next to Maggie.

Without saying hello, Robert helped Rick into the common room and helped him sit in a chair, "Hey," Natalia spoke warmly. "I heard about what happened and…"

It was then that Natalia noticed that Robert's eyes had a sadness in them, but he also looked as if he didn't want to upset the kids. A knock suddenly sounded at the door.

Robert quickly answered the door and was surprised to find Bosco, Horatio, Sully, Yelina, Ray Jr., Nicolas and Judge Stokes there, "Can we come in?" Bosco asked softly.

Nodding, Robert stepped aside and watched as everyone came in, "Oh good, Natalia and all the children are here," Horatio spoke softly. "We need to have a chat."

Natalia quickly turned off the TV and came over to the front area with BJ, Maggie, and Adam in tow as Sully closed the door, "Danielle and the kids would have come, but Danielle had to go to work and John and Caira are babysitting," Bosco said.

"You're Federal Judge Stokes," Natalia spoke anxiously, looking at Judge Stokes.

Judge Stokes nodded before holding out a folder, "I am and these papers are for you, Mrs. Caine," he replied softly. "You'll find everything in perfect order."

Natalia took the folder and opened it, her eyes growing big as she read the paperwork, "These allow me to legally adopt Maggie," she spoke softly. "How did you…?"

Robert smiled at the papers, but confusion quickly took over, "We had planned to get a hearing for that in the new year," he spoke softly. "How'd this happen so fast?"

"Sergeant Boscorelli had several conversations with me," Judge Stokes replied in a kind voice, a smile on his face. "If you're not ready, I completely…"

Natalia looked at Maggie, "Is it okay if I adopt you and become your mom?" she asked in a cautious voice, knowing Maggie could very well refuse her request.

Maggie looked surprised, "You want to be my mommy?" she asked softly.

Natalia nodded and Maggie gave her a giant hug, "I'll sign the papers," she spoke in a pleased voice, offering one hand while one kept hold of Maggie. "May I?"

Judge Stokes held up his briefcase and waited while Natalia signed the papers, smiling when Robert also signed. Once they were done, he signed the papers.

"Bosco, how did you pull this off?" Robert asked, gazing at his former partner in deep astonishment over this miracle. "It's Christmas Eve and you are very busy…"

Bosco sighed, "Just enjoy it," he replied calmly. "Consider it a Christmas miracle."

Robert, however, immediately sensed that Bosco had done this in repayment for keeping Maritza's cold case open. He also knew that Bosco wouldn't want it mentioned, so he nodded and smiled, "Thank you," he replied softly.

Bosco nodded, "We need an updated family photo," Robert spoke excitedly.

"Is Uncle Rick gonna be in it?" BJ asked quietly. "He's still in the living room."

Maggie looked quizzically at Rick, who suddenly looked uncomfortable, "I…this is for your family," he spoke in a shaky voice. "I am the brother of your late wife."

"And the uncle to our children," Robert replied firmly. "You're family, Rick."

Rick sighed, but joined Horatio, Robert, Natalia, BJ, Maggie, Adam, Yelina, Ray Jr., Nicolas, and Sully in front of the tree. Robert handed Bosco his cellphone and camera, "Bosco, would you do the honors, please?" he asked in a kind voice.

Bosco nodded and took photos as Judge Stokes finalized the signed paperwork. He then handed a copy to Robert and Natalia before leaving the hotel room.

"Merry Christmas to all of you," Bosco said calmly. "We might visit tomorrow too and bring stuff. Maybe the kids can have a playdate…"

Robert smiled and nodded, but the smile faded once Bosco had gone, "This has been a very long day and I think you all could use a break," he said in a quiet voice. "Natalia, why don't you take the kids downstairs and get them new clothes?"

Natalia looked surprised, but didn't say anything, "Aunt Yelina, why don't you and Sully go with them and Maggie can get to know Ray Jr. and Nicolas?" Robert said.

Yelina looked concerned, but she hid it well and nodded calmly. Rick quietly retreated to a bedroom that looked unclaimed, as he was exhausted and desired a rest.

"We're going to go shopping," Natalia spoke calmly. "Come on, everyone."

Quiet settled over the suite once they left and Robert sighed heavily, "Bobby, something's happened," Horatio observed softly. "I didn't come to the hospital with you to get Rick because I was helping Sergeant Boscorelli…what happened?"

"Detective Monroe-Messer ended up needing a C-Section and Danny Messer made it his personal mission to scream at me for 'forcing' his wife to be our safety escort," Robert spoke in a subdued voice. "He accused me of being attention seeking and trying to endanger Lindsay and his unborn child. He also brought up the rumors about my mother, the past, and how such an effort is being made for a dead woman's…"

Horatio's eyes widened in shock and anger, "Did Mac hear about this?" he asked.

"After Messer said he heard rumors about my father from his big brother and the Tanglewood Boys, he said I was turning into a violent scumbag like my father was," Robert spoke, tears filling his eyes. "Mac yelled at Danny to stop it…"

Horatio exhaled, clearly irritated with Danny's comments and now concerned that Robert's anxiety would get the better of him, "Bobby, you are not your father and what Danny Messer said was incredibly inappropriate," he spoke firmly. "I want you to go lay down and rest while everyone is shopping. You are clearly not okay."

Robert exhaled softly, but nodded and retreated to his room because he really was tired and a rest would help. Horatio made sure that Robert was in bed before he sat down in the common area and began to think of what he would say to Danny.

* * *

Please read and review!


	5. A Time For - December 25, 2006

**_December 25_**

**_Manhattan, New York_**

It was early, but Rick Stetler found himself awake and in one of the hotel cafes that opened early. He had gotten his personal items back from the lab recently, which included his phone, but the lab had called him late last night, wanting to meet today.

Not wanting to bother anyone else or force them to wake up early on Christmas, Rick had quietly gone downstairs and was now waiting. Soon enough, Mac came in and joined him at the table, "How are you feeling, Sergeant Stetler?" he asked quietly.

"I assume this is serious since you came to me," Rick spoke in a tired voice.

Mac sighed, "Fred Yokas is on the run, but he used a burner phone to phone the lab and indicate that he saw you, as did Maggie," he replied quietly. "NYPD is desperate for answers on what you went through and they want Fred to share what he saw in exchange for less jail time. He said he served as a witness to your torture…"

Shock and horror filled Rick; he knew if Bobby heard of Fred and Maggie witnessing his torture, questions would arise as to why Maggie wasn't rescued sooner. Bobby and Natalia would accuse him of not saving Maggie in favor of rescuing himself. It wouldn't matter if his memory was impaired; they would blame him anyway.

Rick frowned, "I can't remember any of it, so I can't prove or disprove anything," he replied in an upset voice. "If Bobby gets wind of this…"

"I need to talk to Detective Caine since it involves his daughter," Mac said softly.

Rick nodded, suddenly feeling nauseous, "I came to you first to see if you did remember anything since being out of the hospital," Mac spoke quietly. "Since you clearly don't, I'm not sure how useful Fred's information will be since there's nothing to back it up. Maggie may or may not remember, so I don't want to involve her."

Just then, Rick caught sight of Robert and Flack coming into the Plaza lobby sporting outdoor athletic gear, "They're out there," Rick whispered. "If you want to talk…"

Unfortunately for Rick, Robert noticed them and wandered into the cafe with Flack at his heels, "Morning," Robert spoke calmly. "Detective Taylor, what are you…?"

Rick looked at the floor and said nothing, prompting Mac to sigh patiently, "Detective Caine, might I have a moment of your time in the lobby?" Mac asked as he stood up.

Robert nodded and followed Mac into the lobby, but Flack stayed behind because to him, Rick didn't look well, "Shouldn't you be in bed?" Flack asked quietly.

"I'm not the spineless nerd I was in the Academy, Flack," Rick spoke softly. "I…"

Footsteps filled the air, "You look like you belong in bed," a voice commented.

Rick looked up and saw that Robert and Mac had returned, "Detective Taylor updated me on the situation," Robert spoke quietly. "I think it's ridiculous that NYPD wants to rely on Fred Yokas to describe what you can't remember. You were tortured with goodness knows what and it's affected your memory, but you're still recovering."

"I thought you'd think I didn't try to help Maggie," Rick spoke in a trembling voice. "I honestly can't remember any of what happened and if I did see her, I…"

Robert nodded, "I wouldn't think that," he replied firmly. "I think NYPD is being a bunch of idiots, putting their trust in a man who worked for Agent Sackheim…"

"Fred Yokas is the ex to one of New York City's finest cops and they're concerned about how that cop and her family will be impacted," Mac spoke apologetically.

Robert scowled, but said nothing, "I would highly recommend, Detective Caine, that you take your family back to Miami as soon as possible," Mac spoke softly. "I'll fly down once NYPD determines what they want to do, but I would recommend recovering, getting counseling, and doing your best to try and remember."

Sighing heavily, Robert nodded and scoffed as Mac left, "You should get back upstairs," Rick spoke softly. "It's Christmas and I'm sure there are presents…"

"Natalia and I made a rule that there are no presents until after breakfast," Robert replied as he sat at the table. "I could go for some tea. How about you?"

* * *

Over at Angel of Mercy Hospital, Carlos yawned softly as he sat in a soft chair at Holly's bedside while Tommy and Kylie slept on a cot and on the couch. They had been resting at home when the call had come in about Holly fainting and Ty and Sasha had come to get them to the hospital. They too had spent the night there.

As Carlos closed his eyes to try and nap, as he had throughout the night, he suddenly heard a gasp, "Carlos?" a weak voice suddenly spoke. "Carlos…"

Carlos opened his eyes and was surprised to see Holly awake, "What happened?" Holly asked in a weak voice, gazing at him. "I was out on duty and…"

"It's Christmas Day, Holly," Carlos replied softly. "You're at Angel of Mercy."

Holly frowned as Carlos pressed the Nurse's Call button, "I fainted," she said softly.

Carlos nodded as a nurse came into the room with a supply cart, "Why did I faint?" Holly asked in an anxious voice. "The kids…Carlos…how did you get here?"

"Ty and Sasha brought me and the kids here," Carlos replied softly. "They're asleep."

The nurse smiled at Holly, "You're being very well cared for, Mrs. Nieto," she explained in a kind voice. "Doctor Patel has been informed and is on her way to the hospital now. I've given you fluids and we'll be getting a monitor in here soon…"

"A monitor?" Holly asked groggily. "What's wrong with me that I need a…?"

Carlos sighed, "You're pregnant," he replied softly. "I guess the last time we…"

"Back near the end of September," Holly replied softly. "No wonder I've been tired."

Carlos nodded and yawned, "The kids know," he replied softly. "They're happy."

It was then that Holly noticed Tommy sleeping on a cot while Kylie slept on the couch, "When you're feeling better, you can come home," Carlos spoke softly. "Because of all the miscarriages, you were here overnight and are high risk."

Holly sighed weakly, "Carlos, you need rest too," she replied anxiously.

"The nurses brought me a soft chair around midnight," Carlos replied gently. "Ty and Sasha are around, but I'd love to catch a nap with you before the kids wake up."

Holly nodded and closed her eyes, sighing as she felt Carlos's hand lock with hers.

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

Emily's eyes opened and she sighed as she checked the clock and found that it was very early in the morning. Tim was in the bed next to her, but he was awake. Jesse was in the adjoining room, sleeping in a crib while James and Julliet were in beds.

"Hi," Emily spoke softly, looking at Tim. "Are you having a bad night?"

Tim sighed, "I don't like traveling much," he replied quietly. "Not since we married."

"I don't like being here either, to be honest," Emily replied softly. "I remember what life was like before everything happened and Mom and Dad would cart us here when they needed to make deals with Sam Braun or other shady people. We were usually left on our own while Mom and Dad did business. I've never been fond of Vegas…"

A light suddenly went on in the living room and a door opened, "…Thanks so much for taking them in til later," a quiet voice said. "This whole thing is making me need meetings and Brass is my sponsor. Jenny needs the rest and she knows they're here.."

Emily and Tim exchanged a look and got out of bed, reaching the door just in time to see Greg set Jessica in the large crib where Carlos and Matthew were already sleeping, "Jenny will be here later on, but I'll be back in a few hours," Greg spoke softly.

Ryan, who was sitting on his bed, nodded, "I'm not sleeping anyway; I might as well babysit," he replied groggily, frowning when Tim and Emily came out. "Hi…"

"Hi Tim, hi Emily," Greg spoke nervously. "I'm just dropping Matthew and Jessica off with Ryan while I go to AA with Brass. The last little while has been stressful, busy, and sleepless because we're short help and really overworked…"

Ryan sighed, "I'm not sleeping, so I offered to babysit," he explained softly. "I napped, yes, but I'm not able to sleep seriously. Babysitting will keep me busy."

"We're up since the kids will be up soon and want to open presents," Emily spoke in a kind voice. "Since you can't lift infants yet, we'll take care of the messy parts."

Greg looked relieved and quickly left, "The lab's riding Greg pretty hard," Ryan spoke quietly. "He's in the lab and in the field as often as they can use him…"

"And the custody case is in the new year, right?" Tim asked softly.

Ryan shrugged, "Jenny hasn't said anything about it," he replied softly. "I might go out later, though, since there are GA meetings here too, and to visit Doctor Kessler."

"Why don't you invite Doctor Kessler here?" Tim asked softly. "So you don't…"

Ryan looked uncertain, "Because Greg might get in trouble if he's seen having Christmas dinner with a sex therapist who has been involved in past LVPD cases," he explained worriedly. "I don't mind getting a cab to and from her place. Besides, I am really needing a meeting; I almost sat down at the slots last night and played…"

Sighing, Ryan gazed over at the crib, "Stetler made me promise not to gamble anymore because he didn't want me turning out like Dad," he spoke quietly. "Dad…"

Emily sighed, "Is dead," she replied softly. "Thank God for small miracles."

Ryan looked surprised, but before he could respond, James came running out of his and Julliet's room, "CHRISTMAS!" he shouted eagerly, a smile on his face.

Lights flashed on and Emily smiled, "Yes, James, it's Christmas, but we have to wait for everyone else to get up before we open presents," she spoke softly. "Okay?"

"We're up," Tommy spoke in an amused voice as he came out of his bedroom with Diana and Emilo at his side. "Emilio woke us up. Where are Greg and Jen? I see…"

Ryan sighed, "Jenny's asleep in their room and Greg went to a meeting," he replied in a tired voice as Julliet came toddling out of her room. "I'm babysitting."

"Let the infants sleep," Emily spoke softly. "We might as well open gifts and we can also save Greg's, Jenny's, and Jason's for when they get up. Is Jason asleep too?"

Tommy sighed, "Let's have breakfast first," he replied calmly. "Give them time."

Emily nodded and Tommy went over to the phone, "I'll order it," he said softly.

* * *

_**Manhattan, New York**_

"It's CHRISTMAS, Mom and Dad!" Bosco heard voices shout. "Presents!"

Bosco sighed as he opened his eyes and saw the other side of the bed empty, prompting him to get up, "Dani," he called out as he put a robe on over his sweats and NYPD t-shirt. "David, Ellie, don't be so loud. You'll wake everyone."

The chatter continued and Bosco wandered out into the living room to find Danielle making breakfast while Caira sat with Yelina, Ellie, Nicolas, and David on the couch, "My John and Ray Junior like to sleep," Yelina was saying. "But Nicky was hungry."

"Where's our John at?" Bosco asked worriedly. "Is he still sleeping or what?"

Yelina sighed, "He was up quite early this morning, but wouldn't say why," she said. "I was up feeding Nicky and someone was yelling at him on his phone."

Bosco frowned and looked at Danielle, who looked equally concerned and the two of them went to John's bedroom door, which was closed. Bosco opened it and found John laying on his bed, silently staring at the ceiling while holding the phone.

"Yelina said you were up early on your phone and the person on the other end was yelling at you," Bosco said. "Who was the call with?"

John sighed, "Detective Yokas called and accused me of helping Emily pack up and leave town, but I haven't seen Emily in a while," he explained softly. "She's gone."

"Emily left?!" Bosco asked in a shocked voice. "Does Faith know where she is?"

John slowly sat up, "Faith screamed at me that Emily called her this morning from Austin, Texas," he explained quietly. "Faith figured I had something to do with making Emily leave and asked me why I couldn't have helped her get back on track."

Danielle looked concerned and Bosco scoffed, "It's not your job to help Emily get over her problems," he said in an irritated voice. "She already asked you to do something you weren't ready to do. Did she tell Faith that it was cause of you?"

"She must have because Faith said it would have been better for me to marry Emily, as then she could have stayed out of trouble," John replied. "As if I could have stopped that. All the yelling reminded me of my conversations with McKeen and the other idiots I had to talk to while Ryan was being tortured and Sofia lay dying."

Danielle frowned, but John sighed, "McKeen gave me the chance to get away, but I chose not to take it," he spoke softly. "Am I really weak or just crazy? I had an out, but I didn't want Sofia to die alone and I didn't want them to murder Ryan. I hung up and stared out the window for a long time before going back to bed."

"I'm sorry that Faith triggered all those things in you," Danielle spoke in an apologetic voice. "I'll be calling her later to talk about it, all right?"

John nodded, "And no, you're not weak or crazy," Danielle said. "Compassionate."

"Everyone's getting up so we can do presents," Bosco said. "You up for that?"

John shrugged, "I guess," he replied softly, yawning. "My sugar's high…"

"Then we'll wait to eat breakfast," Danielle replied. "Did you take insulin?"

Nodding, John got up and followed his parents into the living room only to see that his grandfather and Ray Junior were now up and holding Michael and Emily. Caira got up off the couch, walked over to John, and gently embraced him with a smile.

Sully smiled, "Do you mind if we give our gifts first?" he asked kindly. "Yelina and I are taking the boys to visit Bobby later on so Maggie can get to know them."

Bosco shrugged and Sully quickly produced two keys, which he gave to Caira and John, "We bought the place next door to us while John was in Vegas and once we realized Caira was coming to New York for a while, we decided to make it into two studio apartments. You two will have your own spaces when you need it, but…"

Sully walked over to a large piece of carboard aside that had been blocking off the area and moved it, revealing two doors, "When you want to be here, you can be," he replied patiently. "They're rent free, but Yelina and I expect good grades."

John looked surprised, "Th..thank you," he managed to say in a nervous voice.

Caira, on the other hand, gave Sully and Yelina gentle hugs because she wanted a place to sleep and veg, but she wanted to be close to trusted people when she needed the reassurance. John suddenly yawned, clearly drained from Faith's call.

"It's a bit early," John apologized, sighing. "I'm okay to open presents."

Caira looked at John questioningly, but Danielle simply let it go and nodded calmly.

* * *

Over at the Plaza Hotel, Robert, Natalia, BJ, Maggie, Adam, Rick, Horatio, and Stella were all seated in the living room, all of them ready to open the many presents and stockings that sat under the tree. Robert had brought Rick back to the room after sharing tea, promising that Mac's information didn't change anything.

"I think the kids should start first," Robert spoke kindly, smiling at the kids.

BJ and Adam scrambled to the presents, but Maggie went slowly because she was tired and told to take it easy by doctors. Soon enough, the floor was decorated with torn wrapping paper and BJ held a robe, slippers, and a new Discman on his lap; Maggie had pajamas, a robe, and slippers; and Adam had a robe, slippers, and new math books. All three of the kids had also gotten stuffed puppies and chapter books.

Natalia got up and retrieved the small gifts she had gotten for Robert, Stella, and Horatio. She handed them out before retrieving the ones she bought for Rick.

"You didn't have to get me anything," Rick spoke quietly. "I…"

Natalia sighed patiently and promptly helped Rick open his gifts since he couldn't use one of his hands, revealing a new pair of shoes, a carry-on suitcase filled with a few clothes and toiletries, and a new wallet, "This…this wasn't necessary," Rick said.

Offering a smile, Natalia picked her own presents out from under the tree before going to sit beside Robert. Stella opened her presents and smiled, seeing that she got a new coat from Robert and Natalia and a nice necklace from Horatio. As Stella gave Horatio a gentle kiss on the cheek, Natalia and Robert opened their gifts and found robes, slippers, and books; one of their favorite couple activities was reading books.

Maggie suddenly yawned and laid down on her robe, "How about you kids go back to bed while I arrange for breakfast?" Robert spoke kindly. "If anyone else…"

"A rest sounds great," Rick replied as he slowly stood up. "If you'll excuse me."

Stella looked at Horatio before looking at Robert, "Horatio and I can arrange for breakfast if you two wanted to spend time with your kids," she offered gently.

"Can we cuddle in your bed, Mommy and Daddy?" Adam asked quietly

Robert nodded, got up, and gently scooped Maggie up off the floor while Natalia picked Adam up, "I'm going to my bed, if that's okay," BJ spoke softly.

Nodding, Robert and Natalia brought Maggie and Adam to their bed and snuggled in with them, "Daddy, why does Uncle Rick look so sad?" Maggie asked softly.

Robert hesitated, "Is it cause I saw him crying and screaming?" Maggie asked softly.

Natalia frowned, realizing that Maggie had seen Rick, but Rick hadn't seen Maggie or couldn't remember seeing her, "Pumpkin, do you think you could talk to the police officers about what you saw?" Robert asked softly. "It will help your Uncle Rick."

Maggie nodded and yawned, "After a nap?" she asked sleepily.

Robert smiled and kissed her forehead, "After a nap," he promised gently.

Out in the main area, Horatio put on the overcoat he had brought, "Stella would you mind going and ordering breakfast for everyone?" he asked softly. "I need to pay a visit to the hospital and have a conversation with Danny Messer. Apparently, he got into it with Robert after Lindsay Messer went into labor during a chase involving…"

Stella looked surprised, "Danny got after Bobby for that?" she asked worriedly.

Horatio nodded, "Bobby explained it to me," he replied. "Will you be all right?"

Stella nodded, "See you soon," she replied, knowing Danny deserved chastising.

* * *

**_Las Vegas, Nevada_**

_Entranced_ was a small, fancy restaurant that wasn't overly cheap, but Sara was simply grateful that Grissom was making time for them. They had gotten the day off, left their kids with Grissom's mother, and were here to enjoy a light meal before having Christmas presents and dinner at home with all of their family.

"It's nice to be able to finally spend time alone with you after everything that's happened," Sara spoke in a kind voice as she reached for Grissom's hand. "I…"

Grissom, however, wasn't listening because he had just noticed Ryan Wolfe sitting with Lady Heather in a quiet corner of the restaurant that was reserved for wealthier couples. Tim and Emily were at another table, not far from where Ryan was.

"Isn't that Ryan Wolfe with Lady Heather?" Grissom asked softly, deeply worried.

Sara looked and nodded, "Perhaps they're friends?" she replied, deeply puzzled as to why Grissom suddenly seemed upset. "You seem awfully upset over it considering you were over at her place quite a bit before we became serious."

Grissom sighed, "Atwater doesn't stop being sheriff until the end of December and he's determined to get Ryan off the payroll because he's upset over McKeen killing Sofia and needs someone to blame," he explained in a quiet voice. "His case is that Ryan endangered the students by involving them in the search for Horatio Caine and he's trying to get the city to back him and Ecklie's support, but Ecklie's not backing him. I tried to speak in Ryan's defense, but Atwater threatened my job…"

Sara frowned, "And what does this have to do with Lady Heather?" she asked softly.

"Lady Heather has a questionable reputation to some in the department and if Ryan were seen with her, it might strengthen Atwater's case," Grissom explained in a concerned voice. "Atwater was friends with McKeen before McKeen went crazy and they viewed Ryan as problematic because of his past issued with Miami PD…"

Sara scoffed, "Everyone has a past, Grissom," she hissed. "Even you and me."

"I fought tooth and nail to get Ryan hired so that Sofia would come back," Grissom replied in a raised voice, seemingly irritated that they were discussing this. "She knew Ryan was prepared to give up everything for her and asked me to make sure he had something to do that would equal his talent. Now that Sofia's dead, I'm worn out and tired of trying to be everything to everyone. What I say may not be enough to help."

Ryan, who was listening to Grissom speak, suddenly looked very sad while Tim and Emily, who could also overhear it, looked upset, "I'm suddenly missing Gregory and Danielle and we should really see if Big Greg wants to hang out today," Sara spoke in a quiet voice, her appetite gone. "Ryan just heard everything you said, Gil."

Grissom swore quietly and looked over in Ryan's direction, "Gil, don't," Sara spoke in a concerned voice. "It's Christmas. You and Ryan should arrange a time to talk."

"If he comes over here, I'm going to punch him in the face," Ryan breathed in a quiet, but anxious voice as he watched Grissom from afar. "I…I'll happily serve the time."

Lady Heather looked concerned and understanding at the same time, "I…I spent time in juvenile hall and in a group home as a teen, so I know the system," Ryan spoke in a quiet voice. "Every day I spend in Vegas without Sofia feels like being in jail again."

Just then, Emily walked past the table and over to where Grissom and Sara were sitting. There were several moments of quiet conversation before Emily returned to her table, "I…I got a ride here because I can't drive yet," Ryan stammered softly.

Lady Heather nodded and gently placed a hand over Ryan's, "You're trembling with anxiety," she observed softly. "Or are the withdrawals still haunting you?"

"A little of both," Ryan spoke softly. "That's why I only ordered water."

Unable to watch Ryan bury himself further, Grissom got up and left the restaurant without ordering. Sara looked at Ryan briefly before getting up and following.

* * *

_**Manhattan, New York**_

"She's beautiful," Danny spoke in a quiet voice as he sat on the bed with Lindsay, both of them watching a video that Danny had shot of Lucy, who was in NICU.

Danny nodded and Lindsay sighed tiredly as she wiggled her toes, "I can feel my toes again, but that also means I can feel pain," she spoke softly. "Can you get a nurse?"

"All right," Danny replied softly, kissing Lindsay's head. "I'll be right back."

Danny slowly got up and wandered into the hallway, hoping that someone was at the nurse's station who could help, "Danny Messer, might I have a word?" a voice asked.

Frowning, Danny turned and saw Horatio, who had taken a side elevator, step out of the shadows, "Lieutenant Caine?" he asked softly. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you got aggressive with my nephew after McKeen chased Lindsay, Bobby, and Rick Stetler through the streets of New York," Horatio spoke coldly, his expression angry. "You mentioned Bobby's father and compared…"

Danny sighed heavily, "Yeah, I was upset," he replied softly. "Over-anxious…"

"You need to watch your words or else you will not be in this business forever," Horatio spoke in a cold voice. "Believe it or not, words can do great damage."

Danny frowned, but said nothing, "I know you've got your hands full, but an apology would do wonders in improving your reputation," Horatio spoke as he fished a card out of his jacket. "Here's his card. I'm assuming Lindsay and the baby are okay?"

"Baby's a little early, but she's fine," Danny replied. "Lindsay's recovering."

Horatio nodded, his expression upset, "So you lashed out for no reason," he stated. "You brought up things you have no idea about and damaged his self-worth."

"I guess I did," Danny replied softly. "I…I'd like to apologize…what I said."

Horatio shoved the card into his hand, "Bobby is at the Plaza Hotel," he replied in a cold voice, sighing before he turned away. "I'm not the one who needs the apology."

As Horatio left, Danny silently stared at the card in his hand before going to the desk to fetch a nurse. Once Lindsay was asleep, he'd try to make things right.

* * *

"I'm sorry to bother you on Christmas, Detective," Robert spoke in a kind voice as he opened the door and saw Mac standing in the hallway. "Maggie remembered…"

Mac nodded and Flack came into view holding a garbage bag that appeared to be full, "I brought Flack with me to distract your sons so that we could talk without interruption," he explained. "Where's Rick Stetler?"

"Rick's resting," Robert replied softly. "We had breakfast and he went back to bed."

Mac nodded again as he and Flack came in and Robert shut the door, "BJ, Adam, your Uncle Donnie's here to play videogames with you," Robert called out.

"And I brought presents," Flack commented, grinning. "For all three of them."

BJ and Adam came running and Flack opened the bag, handing them two gifts each before guiding them into the 'kids' room. Mac watched as Flack set the remaining gifts on Maggie's bed before tossing the bag in the trash, "C'mon," Robert said.

Robert led Mac into the living room as the sound of a racing game filled the suite, "Maggie, Detective Taylor is here to talk to you," he said. "About Uncle Rick."

Natalia, who had been reading a book with Maggie, closed the book and set it on the table while continuing to hold Maggie close, "Now, Maggie, I have to record this so the people at the Crime Lab can use it to help your uncle," Mac explained as he took a tape recorder out, pressed PLAY, and set it on the table. "Is that all right?"

Maggie nodded, "Yes," she replied softly. "I was in the little closet one day and Mister Fred said to come with him because he wanted to teach me what happened to bad people. He took me into the basement and Uncle Rick was lying on a table…"

Mac nodded, "How long was it before you were found?" he asked quietly.

"December 16," Maggie spoke softly. "It was dark outside."

Robert and Natalia exchanged a look, "Mister Fred put a lot of needles into Uncle Rick and they made Uncle Rick sleep," Maggie spoke quietly. "He also puked and flopped around on the table before falling on the floor. Like a fish…"

"Seizures," Mac murmured softly. "That would explain the memory loss."

Maggie sighed, "Some guys came downstairs and took Uncle Rick away while Uncle Rick was still flopping around," she spoke quietly. "I was put back in the closet."

Mac nodded and Maggie sighed tiredly, tears filling her eyes, "Is Uncle Rick gonna be okay?" she asked softly. "He sleeps a lot and he doesn't talk like he used to."

"Uncle Rick's going to be fine, pumpkin," Robert replied even though he wasn't sure if it was true. "He got hurt during the time he was missing and he also has a condition called Type Two diabetes that will require some medicine. It'll just take time…"

Robert trailed off and sighed, "I think Uncle Donnie brought you some presents," he spoke in a kind voice. "Why don't you go see if they're on your bed?"

Maggie nodded, smiling as she climbed off the couch and ran to the 'kids' room.

Mac stopped the recorder and pocketed it, "I'll be increasing the hunt for Fred Yokas," he spoke quietly. "I'd also like Maggie to look at some photos to see if she recognizes any of the men who might have helped. We have a list of associates connected to Jeffrey McKeen and if she can identify any of the other players…"

"If you need us to bring her to a precinct…" Robert spoke quietly.

Mac rose, "I'll bring a photo book by tomorrow," he replied. "Enjoy your holiday."

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

The Wolfe Trails Hotel and Casino was busy with people and groups enjoying the Christmas Day buffet by the time Brass and Greg got back. Brass could sense Greg's anxiety about facing his family so quickly, so he pulled Greg into the coffee shop and they sat at a table, "Did the meetings help?" Brass asked in a concerned voice.

Greg sighed heavily, "They help because they'll motivate me to keep going to work and being a husband and father," he spoke quietly. "I'm overwhelmed, though, because Derek's parents have suddenly decided to support Derek's fight for custody."

"Did you ask Nicky for help in trying to reason with Derek?" Brass asked softly.

Greg shook his head, "Nick's in remission right now, but he's very busy with work and trying to raise Parker," he replied softly. "Besides, it's his brother…"

Brass nodded, "Jenny's been so supportive," Greg spoke softly. "I…"

Greg suddenly trailed off as he spotted Tim and Emily come into the hotel without Ryan, "Tim and Emily are back," he spoke softly. "I don't see Ryan, though."

"I wasn't aware Ryan was able to go anywhere," Brass spoke worriedly.

Greg sighed as Tommy came into view and began talking to Tim and Emily before spotting them in the coffee shop. Tim quietly came over to the coffee shop.

"Wasn't Ryan with you guys?" Greg asked worriedly. "Where is he?"

Tim sighed, "Things at the restaurant got ugly because Grissom saw Ryan with Doctor Kessler," he explained softly. "Ryan and Doctor Kessler went somewhere."

Greg frowned, "Atwater's trying to get Ryan fired," Tim finished softly.

"Is that why Atwater keeps dropping by the lab and having shouting matches with Grissom and Ecklie?" Greg asked softly. "I asked what was up, but told to back off."

Brass sighed heavily, "What a Christmas for Ryan," he muttered irritably.

"Do you know where they went?" Greg asked softly. "I think you do."

Tim sighed, "Ryan is currently at a therapy session," he replied. "Keep it quiet."

Brass nodded, quickly raising his hand for a barista so he could order a coffee.

* * *

Rory Atwater smirked from behind his video camera as he watched Ryan Wolfe step out of Lady Heather's car and follow her into what used to be the fetish club. It was no longer a club, but Rory Atwater was determined to get Ryan out of the LVPD. The video footage of him going to Doctor Kessler's might be enough to tip the scales.

Ryan, meanwhile, had noticed Atwater following him, but simply didn't care because he was emotionally over being part of the department. He knew that Atwater was trying to fire him over the Horatio Caine case, but none of that mattered anymore.

What mattered now was his sanity and now that Sofia was gone, he needed intimacy of a different sort to help him hold on to what little he had left. That need was on his mind as he sat in a couch in Doctor Kessler's office, resting his aching casted leg.

"I know you're seeking intimacy; the same type I taught you to give Sofia," Lady Heather spoke softly as she sat next to him on the couch. "You're in great pain."

Ryan nodded, his mind and heart broken over recent events and over Grissom's words at the restaurant. Lady Heather gently placed her hand on Ryan's pale cheek.

"You can stay for as long as you like and I will help you," Lady Heather promised.

Exhaling softly, Ryan closed his eyes and allowed himself to be lost in her touch. He needed to give into his need so that she could help him figure out what to do next.

* * *

Please read and review!


	6. Into the Shadows - January 2, 2007

**January 2, 2007**

**McCarran Airport - Before Dawn**

It was early, but the Wolfe-Speedle family was wide awake and on board the Wolfe family's private airplane. After the events of Christmas, Tommy had gotten the plane out of mothballs and hired a crew so that he could get his family home safely.

The plane had a rest area, a dining area, and an area with seats, but Ryan preferred to sit alone in a comfortable seat with his leg elevated. He felt free after visiting with Lady Heather and taking her advice, but he was tired and physically broken.

The sounds of Tommy, Diana, Tim, Emily, and all of the kids eating filled Ryan's ears, but he had no desire to join them. He was buckled in and ready to leave.

As an announcement came over the intercom, Ryan succumbed to his need for sleep.

* * *

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

The conference room was silent as Grissom and Sara entered, only to see that Catherine, Ray, Greg, Nick, Morgan, Hodges, and the nightshift techs were already seated and looking confused, "Grissom, what's this about?" Catherine asked.

"I have no idea," Grissom replied anxiously. "I'm supposed to be on suspension."

Just then, Ecklie came into the room with a folder, "Good, you're all here," he spoke in a formal voice. "Grissom, you're off suspension until further notice because Sheriff Liston says that we're short help without you. Hodges, you're now a Trainee."

"Ryan can work in the lab, can't he?" Catherine commented. "Even with his leg?"

Ecklie sighed, "Ryan Wolfe wrote a letter of resignation and had it delivered to my office via courier," he explained. "He cited irreconcilable differences with superiors and excessive bullying as to his reasons. What did you guys do to make him leave?"

"He overheard Grissom talking about him at a restaurant on Christmas," Sara spoke in a quiet voice, upset that Grissom's words had pushed Ryan to resign. "I…"

Grissom scoffed, "Ryan was dining with Lady Heather and I told Sara that Atwater was determined to get Ryan off the payroll because he's upset over McKeen killing Sofia and needed someone to blame. Atwater's case was that Ryan endangered the students by involving them in the search for Horatio Caine. Ryan overheard us somehow."

"What else did you say?!" Ecklie asked sharply, his expression angry.

Grissom sighed, "Lady Heather has a questionable reputation to some in the department and if Ryan were seen with her, it might strengthen Atwater's case," Grissom explained in a concerned voice. "Atwater was friends with McKeen before McKeen went crazy and they viewed Ryan as problematic because of his past issued with Miami PD. I also said that I fought tooth and nail to get Ryan hired so that Sofia would come back and now that that Sofia's dead, I'm worn out and tired of trying to be everything to everyone."

Greg looked upset, Nick looked thoughtful, Catherine looked sympathetic, and everyone else, including Ecklie and Sara, looked stunned, "Atwater had video footage of Wolfe going into Lady Heather's and gave it to me, but I locked it up," Ecklie said calmly. "I am not surprised that Ryan resigned, Grissom, because you and him have been hating each other since Sofia died. You two blame each other for an absolutely tragic situation."

"That's scarily accurate," Greg said. "Ryan told me what he was going to do and told me not to talk him out of it. He said he couldn't work for someone he couldn't trust."

Nick looked uneasy, but said nothing, "Just learn from this," Ecklie said firmly. "The last year has been pretty difficult. Sara, I know you resigned, but I thought you should…"

"Thanks for including me, but I should get back to my kids," Sara said as she stood.

Ecklie nodded, "Meeting's over anyway," he replied before leaving the room.

"I should get going," Catherine spoke, rising. "I have a meeting with a lawyer and then I have to go get Lindsey and Lenny from school. It's their first day at Butterfield."

Grissom sighed as Sara and Catherine left, deeply shocked when everyone else got up and left without talking. Recent events had hurt everyone and everyone needed time.

"Hey, Greggo, got a minute?" Nick called out softly as the two entered the break room.

Greg, who was tired and just wanted to get back to Jenny, Jessica, and Matthew, turned to face Nick, "What?" he asked tiredly. "I just wanna go home and see my family."

Nick reached into his pocket, pulled out a printout, and handed it to Greg, "My parents sent me this email that said Derek's getting married today to a girl named Emily Yokas who fathered one of his kids," he explained. "He's got a house, money, and he's trying to show the court he's capable of looking after Jessica. Maybe you ought to…"

Greg scowled, "What, give Jessica over when Jenny doesn't want Derek to have her?!" he replied in an upset voice. "Jenny wants me to adopt her, but Derek's fighting it."

"My parents have concerns about your ability to care for a child based on the accommodations you need to work at the lab, Greg," Nick replied softly. "Since you got hearing aids, you haven't worked a scene alone and I know Grissom allowed it…"

Greg frowned, "You told your parents about that?!" he replied. "That's none of their business, Nick. I'm perfectly capable of being a father to Jessica if I'm allowed."

"You're a recovering alcoholic who wears hearing aids!" Nick snapped, angry and frustrated that Greg wasn't listening. "That's not the kind of role model my family wants raising Jessica! You have Matthew and Jenny's pregnant; isn't that enough?!"

Greg scoffed and turned away, "Go away, Nick," he replied. "I'm tired."

Nick, however, followed Greg to the lockers and saw that Hodges and Morgan were there, stealing a private moment, "I thought you'd be grateful I told you!" Nick snapped, glaring at Greg. "If Derek and his new wife can prove they have a stable home, they might just win custody of Jessica. You can't prove that with what you have right now!"

"YOU ARE OUT OF LINE!" Greg shouted, his expression furious. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Nick scoffed, "You're not cured," he hissed. "You never will be!"

"What's all the shouting in here?!" Grissom snapped as he suddenly came into view.

Nick swore, "Now you've got 'Daddy' coming to your rescue!" he hooted angrily.

Greg turned away and Nick moved closer, "NICK!" Grissom shouted angrily.

"You're desperate," Nick hissed coldly. "Just because you have parents who don't want you, you're fighting to take a girl away from the parents she rightfully deserves!"

All Greg could see was the carjacking and himself being dragged from the car before being beaten in the alley. Nick's face morphed into the faces of his attackers and Greg suddenly felt nauseous and faint. He could hear voices…it was happening again.

Grissom swore loudly as Greg passed out on the floor and began to convulse.

* * *

_**Miami, Florida**_

The sun was up by the plane landed at Miami-Dade International Airport, but the plane wasn't the only thing on the runway. An ambulance with flashing lights was also there.

"Ryan's over here and he threw up during the flight, but we were closer to Miami than Vegas," Ryan heard a quiet voice say. "He's also been coughing a lot."

An unfamiliar hand suddenly touched Ryan's hand and he immediately tensed up enough to open his eyes. A paramedic he didn't recognize was kneeling in front of him and using a machine to check his vitals, "Who are you?" he asked weakly.

"A paramedic, sir," the paramedic replied calmly. "Just checking your vitals."

Ryan sighed heavily, relaxing when the machine was taken away, "I…I don't feel good," he managed to say, surprised that his voice sounded so weak. "I just wanted to get away from that lab and Grissom. My wife died and it's his fault."

"Timmy, where's Ryan?" an anxious, but familiar voice suddenly filled the air.

Wailing filled the plane and Ryan cringed, "We'll take James, Julliet, Jesse, and Carlos over to our house and they can sleep while you stay here," a voice said.

"Thank you, Tommy," Emily's voice spoke gently. "Anthony and Rosa's house is rather full these days with Tony's new girlfriend visiting a lot and we should…"

Ryan's eyes widened as Alexx came into view with Tim, "I got the pilot to radio the hospital and see if Alexx was working," Tim explained. "She was and when she heard you were on the plane, she demanded to be part of the ambulance coming here."

"Baby, we're gonna help you up and on to the gurney, okay?" Alexx spoke softly.

Ryan nodded and relaxed as the paramedic, Alexx, and Tim helped him get from his seat to a nearby gurney, "What about your work?" he asked in a weak voice.

"I'm taking a personal day," Alexx replied softly. "Can I check your breathing?"

Ryan nodded and Alexx quickly checked his breathing before looking to the paramedic, "We should get him to the hospital," she spoke in a firm voice.

Warm air greeted Ryan as he was removed from the plane and as he was carted to the ambulance, he saw Tommy and Diana loading a vehicle with Emilio, Jason, James, Julliet, Jesse, and Carlos. Tim and Emily came over to the ambulance.

"We're going to get Tommy and Diana to follow the ambulance and drop us at the hospital," Emily spoke in a concerned voice. "Are you going to be all right?"

Ryan sighed weakly, fighting sleep so he could keep an eye on his son, "Ryan, go to sleep," Alexx spoke, seeing what he was doing. "We'll take good care of you."

* * *

**_Austin, Texas_**

Faith Yokas-Miller sighed heavily as she parked her rental in front of the Stokes family ranch. She had been invited to Emily's wedding to Derek and hadn't wanted to go, but Charlie had wanted to see his sister. Deciding to leave Alex in New York with her husband, Faith had brought Charlie and now it was time to go inside.

"This is a big place," Charlie commented softly as they got out of the car sporting their nicest clothes and walked towards the mansion. "Is this Derek guy rich?"

Faith scoffed, "This Derek is about 40 years old and Emily is 18," she replied.

"So he's like the dude that owns Playboy?" Charlie asked in a confused voice.

Faith sighed, "We're here because we were invited and we're going to be gracious because it is your sister," she explained firmly. "We'll go home tomorrow."

Charlie nodded and rang the doorbell, looking nervous when it opened and Emily stood there, "Mom, Charlie?" Emily asked softly. "You actually came?"

Faith nodded and Emily smiled, even though she knew Alex wasn't there because her mother didn't trust her with him, "I'm glad you both came," she replied. "Dad…he was found and arrested in New York this morning according to the news…"

"Do you need help getting dressed?" Faith asked softly. "It is your wedding."

Emily sighed, "That would be nice," she replied kindly. "My dress is upstairs."

Just then, Jillian came into the front room and smiled when she saw Faith and Charlie, "Welcome to the Stokes ranch," she said warmly. "Faith and Charlie, right?"

"My mom was going to help me get dressed," Emily spoke calmly.

Jillian nodded, "I can find Charlie something to do," she promised gently.

Faith muttered a thanks and followed Emily upstairs, surprised when Emily went into a spare bedroom where a fancy ballgown-type dress and tiara veil were laid out on a fancy, four-poster bed. Faith couldn't help but feel grateful that she and her daughter were speaking enough so she could be a part of this event even if it was weird.

"I suppose we should get you dressed," Faith replied, determined to endure the day.

* * *

_**Miami, Florida**_

"Daddy, before you go to work, can we go find someone?" Robert heard a quiet voice ask from the backseat of the truck he was driving Natalia, BJ, Maggie, and Adam to the PD so he could go to work. "He was a nice man and helped me."

Robert looked confused, "A nice man?" he asked softly. "Do you know his name?"

"His name was Eric and he was with his sister and tried to help us, but Mommy came and took me," Maggie spoke quietly. "I want to thank Eric."

Natalia looked worried, but Robert promptly pulled into the Crime Lab's parking lot and parked, "His name is Eric Delko and he works here," he explained calmly.

Maggie nodded, "Is the lab lady there?" Adam asked in a shaking voice.

Robert frowned into the rearview mirror, "That lady who tried to hurt you and kidnap you doesn't work there anymore," he replied, unsure as to where Valera was exactly because she had yet again been released and was currently with Ivan Sarnoff.

Adam nodded, but looked reluctant to get out of the truck, "Tell you what, Bobby, you take Maggie in to say hello to Eric and I'll stay with the boys," Natalia spoke gently, seeing the fear in Adam's face. "We'll be fine out here, I promise."

Robert and Maggie were both quiet as they went inside, collected VISITOR badges, and went up to the lab. They quickly spotted Eric silently working in an evidence room using items that Robert recognized as training tools for CSI trainees. Calleigh was also there and the two were quietly talking as Eric worked with the tools.

"There's Eric," Maggie spoke softly, pointing to the room. "He looks tired."

Robert nodded and sighed, "Maggie, before we go talk to Eric, you should know that he might say or do odd things," he explained softly. "Eric was shot in the head…"

Maggie looked confused, but nodded and stayed close to her father as they walked over to the evidence room. Calleigh and Eric looked up at them quizzically.

"Hi Detective Caine," Calleigh spoke warmly. "Who's the little girl with you?"

Robert sighed, "Calleigh, my daughter wasn't dead after all," he replied. "I assumed you saw the news, but she was being held by Fred Yokas. This is Maggie."

Calleigh gasped in shock and Eric stared at Maggie quizzically, as if trying to remember where he'd seen her before, "I was busy with Eric and my dad over the holidays and I must have missed it," she replied anxiously. "That's amazing."

"Sergeant Boscorelli spoke to a judge and arranged for Natalia to adopt her on Christmas Eve, so we're very happy," Robert replied kindly, hugging Maggie.

Calleigh smiled, "Thank you for helping me, Mister Eric," Maggie said quietly.

Eric hesitated, but quickly recovered and nodded, forcing a smile on his face as he did so, "You're welcome, Maggie," he spoke softly. "I'm glad you're okay."

Just then, Frank came down the hallway and froze at seeing Robert there, "Hey, I thought you were working with me?" Frank asked calmly. "What's up?"

It was then that Frank noticed Maggie, "So, it's true," he said. "She's alive."

"I'm just here visiting Eric cause Maggie asked," Robert replied softly. "I'll be at your office in a little bit. I think my uncle's in, but he's probably busy."

The elevator suddenly dinged and Eric, Calleigh, Robert, Maggie, and Tripp looked into the hallway just in time to see Dr. Stokes come off the elevator and head towards them, "Morning, all," Dr. Stokes said warmly. "Do you know if Lieutenant Caine…"

Footsteps filled the hallway as Horatio suddenly came into view, "Good morning, everyone," he spoke in a quiet voice. "Doctor Stokes, I got Alexx's message…"

Dr. Stokes nodded, "Is Alexx not working today?" Eric asked in a confused voice.

"No," Horatio replied softly, sighing. "It seems that the Wolfe-Speedle clan flew back to Miami this morning and Ryan became ill enough that he's currently at Dade-Memorial. Alexx, Emily, and Speed are all with him at the moment…"

Calleigh frowned, "I thought Ryan was still employed by the Vegas Crime Lab," she spoke in a concerned voice. "Are we going to have enough hands today?"

"Walter's on his way in and we have you, me, Eric, and Doctor Stokes," Horatio explained calmly before smiling at Maggie. "Hello, sweetheart; how are you doing?"

Maggie smiled, "I'm okay, Uncle Horatio," she replied. "Just sleepy."

"Well, after I go to work, your mommy is going to drive you guys home and you can go back to bed for a little while after breakfast," Robert spoke gently. "Okay?"

Maggie nodded and Robert smiled before leading her off to the elevators, "Lieutenant, I need a word with you urgently," Dr. Stokes spoke quietly. "Frank already knows…"

Horatio looked concerned and nodded, "Eric, why don't we go work on your retraining some more?" Calleigh suggested, sensing it was a serious matter.

Eric and Calleigh returned to the evidence room, "My parents informed me via email that Derek is marrying Emily Yokas," Dr. Stokes spoke softly. "She's 18 and father to one of Derek's children. My parents say they're in love, but I feel it's suspicious…"

Horatio's eyes narrowed, but his expression was concerned, "I'm worried this is a ploy by Derek to do something very bad later on," Dr. Stokes spoke softly. "He's gained access to money and has a house. I'm feeling worried he might…"

"I'll look into it," Horatio replied reassuringly. "Just don't worry about it, all right?"

Before Dr. Stokes or Frank could reply, Horatio went to his office and quickly got on the phone, "…Speed?" he said when a voice answered. "I heard Ryan's in the hospital."

As Speed talked, Horatio looked at the letter from Sofia that sat on his desk.

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"..._Stokes and Sanders will not be working on the same cases until further notice and Catherine can supervise Stokes_," Greg heard a firm voice say as he slowly regained a sense of consciousness. "_Stokes will also be made to undergo counseling_…"

Greg opened his eyes and was surprised to see a heavily pregnant Jenny sitting next to the bed, "Jen," he spoke weakly, sighing when he looked at her. "I…I'm sorry."

"For what?" Jenny asked softly, relieved to see Greg awake. "For Nick's anger?"

Greg sighed sleepily, "I know he never let go of how he felt about you," he managed to say in a weak voice. "I'm really flawed and he thinks he's better…"

Jenny sighed and kissed Greg's face before getting up, "You are my _husband_ and I _love_ you, Gregory Hojem Sanders," she spoke gently. "Get some rest, my love."

As Greg drifted back to sleep, Jenny wandered into the hallway and saw that Grissom and Ecklie were talking while Sara and Nick sat together with Jessica and Matthew.

"Nick?" Jenny spoke in a quiet voice as she approached them. "Greg knows."

Nick immediately looked shocked, but Sara looked confused, "Knows what?" she asked.

"Greg knows that Nick and I kissed when I was at Stokes Ranch with him," Jenny spoke in an upset voice. "Greg knows that Nick had and still has feelings for me."

Sara looked at Nick questioningly, "Jenny…." Nick began hesitantly.

"I told you before that I fell in love with Greg because he didn't remind me of pain and suffering I was put through when I was in trouble," Jenny spoke firmly, her expression serious. "You wanted to rescue me cause I made bad decisions before I got pregnant with Jessica. ."

Grissom, who had overheard Jenny's words, scowled as he walked over to Nick and Sara, "Nick, for the sake of your son and your career, stay out of this custody thing that your brother's stirring up," he spoke firmly. "Greg has reported so many harassing calls, letters, and emails to the PD that we're working on trying to get your parents to leave him alone, but it's better if you distance yourself from Derek."

Nick frowned, "What?" he replied softly. "Greg's been harassed by my parents?"

"That's right, Stokes," Ecklie hissed. "Sanders has hearing aids, but it does not make him incapable of doing what he's currently doing. Your parents are being idiotic."

Nick looked surprised, but Jenny returned to Greg's room and sighed as she sat by the bed. She had pressed Greg to keep the custody battle going because she didn't want to risk being separated from Jessica, but she had worn Greg down in the process and he was now suffering PTSD because she didn't want to truly let go of her past.

Maybe, Jenny thought, there was a way to make everyone happy by offering supervised visitation for Derek and his new wife once he proved himself fit for that.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

"_Bobby, when the kids and I got home, I went downstairs to check on Rick and he's gone_," echoed in Bobby's ears as he and Tripp hurried to the front door of the Caine family home in Coconut Grove. "_He's gone and his personal things are gone_…"

Robert frowned as he unlocked the door and saw Natalia standing by the door to the basement, "Hey," Natalia spoke softly. "All of the kids decided to get more sleep…"

"You said Rick and his things are gone?" Robert asked in a concerned voice.

Natalia nodded, "He left a note," she replied, offering Bobby a piece of paper.

Robert took the note in his gloved hands and frowned, "Thank you for your kindness, but I've decided to leave," he read softly. "There's also a check on here for rent…"

Natalia nodded, "He just took his clothes, but his photos and phone are still here," she spoke worriedly. "Bobby, it's like he doesn't want someone being able to find him."

"He's been acting strange since he was found," Robert spoke softly, feeling that something wasn't right. "I'm going to take this note to the lab and process it."

Frank sighed, "Do you want to pass it off?" he asked. "Or keep it in the family?"

"I don't want to involve the lab," Robert replied softly. "For Rick's safety."

Natalia nodded and watched as Robert and Frank quietly left the house again.

It didn't take long for Frank and Robert to get back to the lab and nobody was around, so Robert documented what had happened. He noticed that none of the CSI's were around, nor were any techs, so he had to work alone.

He then donned a spare lab coat and processed the note before running it through the print reader. As he waited, footsteps filled the lab and Frank quietly cursed when Calleigh suddenly came into the room.

"What are you doing, Detective Caine?" Calleigh asked suspiciously, frowning. "I was under the impression that you were now working in Homicide, not the lab."

Robert sighed, "While Natalia and our kids were bringing me to work this morning, Rick cleared out with only his clothes, but left a note and a cheque," he replied softly.

Calleigh nodded, her expression concerned, "I didn't want to involve anyone at the lab, but you're here now," Robert spoke softly. "Rick's been acting strange since he was found in New York and I have a very bad feeling he is remembering things…"

"Horatio went to run an errand and asked me to watch things until he got back," Calleigh spoke softly, sighing. "Did you also want to print the cheque?"

The computer suddenly beeped and Robert looked at the computer, frowning when he saw that prints on the letter belonged to Jesse Cardoza, "What?!" he whispered.

Calleigh frowned, "Jesse last worked on New Year's Eve and then he decided to take some personal time for a few days," she replied softly. "I can't explain this."

Robert quickly got his phone out, "Let me call Jesse and see what's up," he said, shocked that his friend and colleague was behind helping Rick disappear.

* * *

**_Health District - Miami, Florida_**

One of the newer, yet little-known developments in the health district was a safe house for victims of crime and domestic issues who had been through something traumatic and needed safety off the beaten path. The main investors in the project had been Dr. Emily Speedle, Jesse Cardoza, and Dr. Candace Stokes and they had funded the project because they could see that Victims Assistance was becoming overwhelmed. They had kept the project quiet, as the less that knew, the better.

The condominium itself was fully furnished, but empty because not many knew about it as of yet. Most in need were still relying on Victims Assistance or local agencies.

Rick, however, was very grateful that Emily had offered him this place when he had called her from New York and said he needed safety without Bobby, Natalia, or anyone else knowing. Emily had quietly contacted Jesse and they had helped.

"This is it," Jesse spoke calmly as he opened the door into a two-bedroom condo that was on the ground floor of the condominium. "Two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, and living room. It's fully furnished and medical services have been arranged."

Rick sighed tiredly as he slowly made his way into the condo with his bag of clothes on his good arm while he held his casted wrist close to him, "Doctor Stokes took the liberty of making you diabetic-friendly meals so you can focus on resting."

"I'm on medical leave, so nobody will miss me," Rick spoke softly. "I already told Emily to appoint a temporary deputy. She arranged the medical leave for me."

Jesse nodded, "I actually moved here after my previous building was damaged," he replied in a calm voice. "I'll be here as often as I can if you need anything."

"Maggie's return…she reminds me of Amanda so much and it hurts," Rick spoke shakily as he settled himself in an armchair. "And, I didn't tell Bobby this, but I do remember McKeen telling me that he'd make sure Dimitri's son died if I kept hanging around them. McKeen and Dimitri…they were friends a long time ago…"

Jesse sighed, "I'll do some looking into where McKeen might be and where his hangouts are," he replied quietly. "I am also trying to see who he associates with."

Rick nodded and Jesse sighed, "Look, get some rest and I'll hang out for a bit," Jesse offered in a concerned voice as his phone buzzed. "We'll make sure you're safe."

Sighing heavily, Rick disappeared into the safety of his room and Jesse sat down as he checked his phone. _Caine, R._ was listed as the caller and Jesse knew that Robert had found out Rick was gone. The problem was that it wasn't yet safe to reveal the truth.

Making a mental note to apologize later, Jesse turned his phone off so it couldn't be tracked.

* * *

The sight of Ryan laying asleep in a hospital bed hooked to IV's and oxygen caused Horatio to pause in the hallway outside the room. Inside the room, Alexx was talking with Tim and Emily and Horatio couldn't help but wonder what had happened.

A moment later, Tim came out of the room, "H," he spoke softly. "Hey."

"I was under the impression that Ryan was going to resume work at the Las Vegas Crime Lab after he was cleared to?" Horatio spoke quizzically. "Doctor Stokes…"

Tim sighed, "Ryan overheard Grissom and Sara talking in a restaurant and Ryan and Grissom had a fallout over it," he replied quietly. "Even though the doctors didn't clear him to fly, Ryan persuaded Tommy to charter the Wolfe Family plane to come back to Miami. Ryan apparently resigned, but he got sick on the flight home with withdrawals combined with bacterial pneumonia. That place he was in in Vegas…"

Horatio nodded, his expression concerned because he wondered if Ryan would end up dying from his experience, "What can I do to help?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"I don't know, H," Tim replied quietly. "Did you want to visit him for a bit?"

Horatio sighed and nodded, his anxiety high as he entered the hospital room and saw Emily and Alexx talking, "I heard Ryan was here," he spoke in a quiet voice.

Alexx nodded, "He'll be here for a while," she replied softly. "I don't know what happened in Vegas, but he should _not_ have been flying. He wasn't strong enough."

"After his interaction with Grissom at Christmas, Ryan was in a rage and wanted out of Vegas," Emily explained in a tired voice. "I admit…I'm not overly pleased with Grissom myself, as he was the supervisor and so much fell through the cracks."

Horatio nodded, "Emily, you and Speed have been obviously very busy and under a great deal of stress, so why don't you two go home and rest?" he suggested kindly. "I can sit with Ryan for a while. Calleigh is watching the lab, so that's well in hand."

Emily looked at Tim and sighed, "We do need to look at the listings for new houses," she spoke quietly. "My brother's girlfriend is pregnant and her parents would prefer she stay with my family most of the time for her safety. We decided to get a place…"

Horatio looked confused, "Is the girl in some sort of danger?" he asked softly.

"I don't know who Tony's dating, but my dad told me that," Tim replied softly.

Horatio frowned, but didn't press, "Some respite would be great," Emily spoke quietly. "The kids are with Tommy and Diana, so that lets us house-hunt."

As Tim and Emily left, Horatio took a seat in the chair beside Ryan's bed and sighed.

* * *

**_Las Vegas, Nevada_**

"Wendy Simms."

Wendy, who had been keeping a very low profile ever since John Boscorelli had left, froze in the doorway of her hideout, "McKeen, you can't be here," she hissed coldly.

McKeen, who was wearing a disguise of a hat, sunglasses, and "tourist clothes", smirked coldly, "I convinced my buddies to let Sam free as long as he doesn't leave the city and adheres to a curfew," he replied, smirking. "He's here for a meeting."

"You're wanted by the feds," Wendy hissed. "How did you get here?"

McKeen looked amused, "NYPD is much too busy protecting Doctor Pride, John Boscorelli, and those within their city to care about me," he gloated. "They don't have the budget to look for people who manage to slip out of the city like I did."

Wendy flinched as McKeen gestured to Sam Braun, who was sitting on the couch looking annoyed and tired, "What's this about?" she asked in a cold voice.

"My son-in-law disappeared without a trace and abandoned Catherine and her children," Sam spoke coldly. "He was supposed to end up in New York and McKeen was going to fetch him from the hospital, but he's gone without leaving a trail…"

Wendy scoffed, "That fool filed for divorce and is running," Sam snapped.

"I also heard through my friends that Derek Stokes is getting married to Emily Yokas today," McKeen spoke coldly. "Some of my friends in patrol heard Nick talking on the phone at the lab about how he wouldn't be able to miss work for the wedding…"

Wendy frowned, "Didn't the news say she was like 18?" she asked softly.

"Emily Yokas asked for my help in beating up John Boscorelli and she will eventually need to be reminded of that, but the current problem is Rick," McKeen replied. "Rick is in hiding because that foolish brat of Dimitri's, Robert, made it happen."

Wendy sighed, "What, do you want me to follow Catherine around to see if she might know where Rick is?" she asked in an annoyed voice. "I know for a fact that she's busy with work and her kids. She has no time to even talk to Rick anymore…"

"Her kids?" McKeen asked suspiciously. "Lindsey and Lenny are with Rick…"

Sam shook his head, "They recently moved to be with their mother," he explained in a calm voice. "Lilly visits me weekly and keeps me up to date on her life…"

McKeen nodded, "But hear this, McKeen," Sam spoke before anyone else had a chance to speak. "If you _ever_ molest my grandson or hurt _any_ of my family again, I'll make sure it's the _last_ thing you do. Had I known that you would hurt Lenny…"

It was then that McKeen realized that Sam didn't care about anything other than his casino empire and his family. As much as McKeen had hoped for Sam's help in finding Rick, it was clear that Sam didn't like him because of what he did to Lenny.

McKeen, however, nodded with a look of fear as his expression to placate Sam and Sam smirked before getting up, "Now that I am able to, I should go to my casinos and check how they are," Sam spoke quietly. "Thank you for your time."

Once Sam was gone, McKeen looked at Wendy, "I don't trust he's going to listen to me and I think he might run to Catherine," he spoke darkly. "He needs to be killed."

"As a former lab tech, I can tell you that something like that takes planning," Wendy replied in a nervous voice. "You also need a crew to carry it out successfully."

McKeen smirked, "James Scott, Darin Mitchell, Adriana Martin, and Michelle Garrett all avoided prison because my buddies stepped in for them," he replied coldly. "They were sentenced to remain in Vegas under the supervision of parole officers for the next two years. I can't access Colin Jamison, but he's too weak for this anyway."

"And how will you get four students to help you?" Wendy asked curiously. "And…"

McKeen scoffed, "I'm friends with their parole officers and they owe me," he replied coldly. "I want Sam Braun dead and I don't want people interfering when I kill…"

"I thought Dimitri's sons were the ones you hated?" Wendy interrupted softly.

McKeen fell silent and suddenly looked delighted, "Dimitri's sons are the key to flushing Rick out," he whispered, truly awed. "That will have to wait until later, unfortunately, as I need Sam Braun out of the way so I can work freely…"

* * *

_**Manhattan, New York**_

"_It just ended, Bos, and everyone's going to the reception hall in town_," Faith's voice filled the phone that Bosco was holding as he sat on the couch watching sports at a low volume. "_Charlie and I are trying to be there for Emily, but it's hard_…."

Bosco sighed, as he had been told by Faith about Emily marrying Derek Stokes and he had told his family. Danielle and John had found it concerning, as they felt no good could come from such an unusual situation. To keep everyone from worrying about what could come from it, Sully and Yelina had taken everyone out to an indoor playground that catered to all ages. Bosco, however, had stayed home because he knew Faith would need someone to vent to and Danielle had encouraged him to help.

"Faith, you don't have to go to the reception if you don't want to," Bosco replied.

There was a sigh, "_Bos, Emily only did this because she's going to try and fight me for custody of Alex_," Faith replied in a distressed voice. "_Alex is doing well and I appreciate you and Danielle recommending that parent-child class for us so we could get him learning things. I'm afraid that if Emily gets him, we'll never see him again_."

"John wasn't ready to be a father, Faith," Bosco replied softly. "I hope you don't…"

Another sigh filled the phone, "_No, John needs time to heal from his past and build his future before he takes on a responsibility like that, I agree_," Faith replied in a kind voice. "It's good that he's in school and has a girlfriend. He seems very happy."

"John's very happy, but he's going to have a lot of hard things to deal with when the trials happen in May," Bosco replied quietly. "I'm glad he's not married yet, honestly. He'll get married to the right person when he's ready and not before then…I hope."

A sigh filled the phone, "_Hey, Bos, I gotta go_," Faith spoke anxiously. "_Later_."

* * *

Please read and review!


	7. Small Vengeance - February 2007

_**February 2007**_

_**Manhattan, New York**_

"Hey, John, thanks for coming to meet with me on one of your busy days," Brendan spoke in a kind voice, smiling as John came into his campus office. "How are you?"

John sighed as he sat down on the other side of Brendan's desk and rested his backpack on his knees, "Mid-terms are happening right now and so I've been trying to balance time for the book finals as well as the proficiences through the NYPD."

Brendan nodded, "Um, I got word from the LVPD and the MDPD that they want to honor you with local awards for the bravery you displayed while you were in Vegas," he explained in a quiet voice. "NYPD also wants to put you in a precinct…"

"I actually was hoping to pursue my Master's degree in the fall," John replied in a nervous voice. "I'm only 18 and I'd like to develop my education a bit before I work in the field full-time. Most places won't hire investigators til they're at least 21."

Brendan nodded, offering a smile, "I saw your application had been submitted and you want to stay in New York as much as possible," he replied calmly. "I know the program in Vegas ended messy, but would you do another one if invited to?"

John frowned, "Not in Las Vegas," he replied softly, his expression troubled.

Brendan suddenly took on an expression of understanding, "You know, you don't have to do anything you don't feel comfortable or ready for," he replied softly. "I know you were involved in two hostage situations at the end of last year and one of your fellow hostages ultimately died. I can't pretend I know how you feel…"

"I did all I could and Sofia still died," John replied softly. "McKeen pulled me aside in that warehouse and told me I was free to leave, but I couldn't let myself."

Brendan sighed, "I…I can't shake why I did that and why I let myself pretend to be Ryan instead of telling Sofia the truth," John spoke quietly. "I never even got to process what happened with Horatio Caine before I was kidnapped again…"

"I think that it would benefit you to talk to a campus counselor," Brendan replied quietly. "Police therapists aren't that useful, to be honest. What do you think?"

John sighed heavily, "I thought about talking to Emily Speedle again, but Ryan Wolfe is in worse shape than I am and needs his family helping him right now," he replied quietly. "Besides, I'd have to Skype at home and there's not a lot of privacy there."

Brendan reached into his desk and pulled out a counselor referral form, "Tell you what, take this to Campus Counseling Services and say I thought a few sessions might be a good idea as a pre-requisite for starting your Master's," he said as he filled the form out and handed it to John. "That way you can save face in the public eye."

John nodded and pocketed the form, "Thank you," he replied softly. "Um, I guess I can agree to those awards. I…just don't make it public yet if you can avoid it."

"I can't promise anything," Brendan replied. "Just have a good day, all right?"

Sighing, John grabbed his bag, got up, and left the office, not stopping his walk until he was in a quiet park of Central Park. He sat down on a bench and sighed heavily, wondering how he could implement Brendan's advice into his life and stick to it.

* * *

**_Las Vegas, Nevada_**

A male orderly in scrubs lay in the middle of the courtyard of the secluded mental health facility, blood on his scrub top that had oozed from several gunshots administered by an unknown hand hours before. Grissom found himself there quickly, but he also found himself uneasy because Colin Jamison was a resident of the facility.

"Grissom."

Grissom looked up and Doc Robbins there with his kit and assistant, David Phillips, "Do you think Colin Jamison might have done this?" he found himself asking softly.

"I have no idea, but I haven't seen him or heard the name since Horatio Caine was rescued," Doc Robbins replied. "Is this the facility where he was remanded to?"

Grissom sighed, "As far as I know, but I didn't keep up with where he was or where any of the students went to after the pilot program ended," he replied. "Ray and I submitted the paperwork we were supposed to and UNLV was through with us."

Doc Robbins nodded and Grissom took a few photos before getting up, taking care to move so the coroners could do their work. While the coroners worked, Grissom walked into the facility and was surprised to see Catherine talking quietly with staff while Nick processed the cordoned off common area just inside the courtyard.

"Catherine, Nick, I called for everyone to respond," Grissom said firmly.

Nick looked at Grissom, "Ray's here, but he's talking to D.B. Russell," he explained in a concerned voice. "Colin's in his room and he doesn't want to see any of us."

Grissom frowned, "If Colin's involved, we need to speak to him," he replied softly.

Paramedics suddenly came into the main area with their supplies sitting on top of an empty gurney, "Wait, what were paramedics doing here?" Grissom asked quizzically.

Catherine walked over to Grissom, "Whoever killed the orderly did it during one of the nightly outdoor meditation sessions that Colin Jamison participates in," she explained in a quiet voice. "The assailants beat Colin into unconsciousness."

Grissom's eyes widened in surprise, "He agreed to talk to Ray because Ray treated him with respect during the pilot project and visited him in the early months of his stay here," Catherine explained quietly. "Colin doesn't trust any of us."

"We need to know what Colin saw," Grissom argued. "He has to talk to us."

Catherine sighed anxiously, "Let me go see Ray and D.B.," she replied softly.

Grissom nodded and Catherine made her way down the hall, pausing nervously not far from where D.B. and Ray were talking, "How's it going?" she asked softly.

"Colin can't physically come out to talk to you," D.B. spoke quietly, looking apologetic. "He doesn't want to see Grissom, but maybe he'll talk to you."

Catherine nodded and D.B. knocked on the door, "Come in," a faint voice said.

D.B. opened the door and as Catherine entered the room, she saw Colin sitting on the bed in scrubs and sporting bruises on his face, a bandage on his ankle, and bandages visible below his scrub shirt. His forehead was also stitched and bandaged.

"Hi, Colin," Catherine spoke softly. "I heard you witnessed what happened…"

Colin sighed, "Could you please sit and I'll share?" he replied softly. "My neck…"

Catherine quickly found a chair at the desk and noticed a small stack of forensics textbooks on the desk, "UNLV said I could continue my studies distance learning until I was well enough to return to campus," Colin said, seeing her looking at the books. "

Nodding, Catherine sighed, "All right," she replied softly. "Start at the beginning."

"I was outside walking around with that orderly last night when James and Darin suddenly jumped the fence," Colin spoke softly. "I thought they were in jail."

Catherine frowned, "James and Darin who were arrested during the pilot program and had a brief stay in a hospital jail ward?" she asked softly. "As far as I know, they're both supposed to be in jail for trying to kill Greg Sanders. How can they be out?"

Colin gestured to his phone, which was cracked and resting on the bedside table, "I videoed them before they got me," he replied weakly. "It's broken, but…"

Catherine pulled some gloves from her pocket and put them on before taking the phone, "Do you mind if I borrow this?" she asked kindly. "I'll give it back."

Colin shrugged, "Thank you," Catherine replied. "Do you need anything else?"

"Um, does Ryan work with you guys still?" Colin asked quietly. "And John?"

Catherine shook her head, "John went home to finish school and Ryan resigned before going back to Miami," she explained softly. "Why?"

"I knew that Lieutenant Caine wrote a victim impact statement in support of me avoiding jail, but I only just learned that Ryan and John Boscorelli wrote letters to the university and LVPD that I be allowed to continue my studies while recovering," Colin replied softly. "I…I don't want to see Jill or her kid ever again so…"

Catherine frowned, but said nothing, "I don't even know if the kid is mine or Ray Caine's, but I don't want a family," Colin replied. "Mine was too messed up. I asked Ryan Wolfe to make sure Jill was safe and I really hope she's safe and happy."

"I'm sorry," Catherine found herself saying. "I didn't know you went through all that."

Colin nodded as he yawned, "Get some rest," Catherine said as she got up. "Okay?"

Floored by all the information, Catherine left the room and found that D.B. and Ray had left. She went back into the front room and saw that Grissom had vanished.

"Catherine, Grissom had business back at the office," Nick spoke up as he came in from the courtyard. "I took photos and Ray's collecting the evidence..."

Nodding, Catherine sighed and tried to figure out what to do with Colin's information.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

"Jesse, we found your prints on a note that Rick left behind in Detective Caine's basement," Calleigh spoke in a soft voice as she sat across the table from Jesse in an interview room where Robert was also present. "Can you explain that?"

Jesse sighed and shook his head, "I honestly can't," he replied softly. "It's not safe."

Robert frowned, "What do you mean by that?" he asked sternly. "Not safe?"

"I can't disclose anything more than Rick is safe right now, but if you keep poking around without his permission, that could change," Jesse replied in a calm, but firm voice, his expression serious. "He doesn't want to endanger Natalia or your kids."

Robert froze, "Something happened when he was being held hostage," he realized in an anxious voice. "He remembered something to that effect and disappeared…"

Jesse sighed, "If the lab goes snooping around, it will lead to serious trouble," he insisted, unaware that Horatio was watching them. "Just leave it alone, please."

"What's going on in here?" Horatio asked as he came in. "An interview?"

Calleigh sighed, "Detective Caine found evidence that Jesse helped Sergeant Stetler relocate to an unknown place in Miami and is refusing to give information," she said.

Horatio looked at Jesse expectantly, "I see," he replied softly. "And why is that?"

"If you want your answers, Sergeant Stetler is in his office," Jesse replied simply.

Horatio nodded, "Bobby, isn't Detective Tripp waiting for you?" he asked softly.

Understanding himself to be dismissed because his uncle wanted to look into the situation personally, Robert nodded and quietly left, "Calleigh, there have been reports of robberies in Calle Ocho and I need you to go look into that," Horatio spoke in a quiet voice. "Talk among the officers that respond is that it's Dan, Valera, Ivan Sarnoff, and others who run with McKeen committing the robberies and I can't…"

Calleigh nodded, "Are Speedle or Eric available to take with me?" she asked softly.

"Speedle took a personal day today to look at schools for his children," Horatio spoke quietly, sighing. "Eric or Walter should be around. Please, Calleigh, be careful."

Jesse quietly dismissed himself, but Horatio said nothing to him, "I've been told by the chief that it's not recommended that I go into the field for cases that may involve McKeen or his minions," Horatio spoke softly. "In case they try it again."

Calleigh nodded, "I heard Speedle moved recently," she spoke softly. "I know that James suffered brain damage when he was with Bernard and it can't be easy…"

"James is having trouble adjusting to the move and his parents decided to take him and his siblings to the Family Centre for the day to see if it would help," Horatio spoke quietly. "I would like you to go there and keep an eye for anything unusual…"

Calleigh frowned, "Should I take Eric with me, then?" she asked. "Familiarity?"

"I need to take Walter with me to visit Ryan and Natalia has the day off," Horatio replied softly. "I feel like Jesse should stay as close to Rick as possible."

Calleigh nodded, "I'll check it out," she replied. "I hope Ryan is doing okay."

"So do I," Horatio replied softly before walking off towards the elevators.

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"_It's very clean here, Gil_," Ellen Seville's voice spoke as Grissom sat at his desk in his office at the lab. "_Riker's was so dirty and I couldn't hear myself think or feel good_."

Grissom sighed calmly, "I'm glad you like it," he replied softly. "Is it helping?"

Just then, Sara came into the office and paused at seeing Grissom on the phone, "_Oh, Gil, it's doing wonders for my mind and I'm so glad you arranged it_," Sara heard an enthusiastic female voice speak on the other end. "_How are you paying for this_?"

"You just worry on healing your body and mind, Ellen," Grissom replied gently.

Sara frowned and took a seat on the couch, wondering why Grissom was on the phone with Greg's birth mother, "I have to go for now," Grissom said calmly. "Talk soon."

"Why were you on the phone with Greg's birth mother?" Sara asked softly as she hung up the phone. "I thought you were coming home after shift?"

Grissom sighed, "We got a call-out to a mental hospital and I got called out of that to talk to Ellen," he explained anxiously. "She's adjusting to her new environment."

"Isn't she supposed to be in Riker's Island for dealing drugs?" Sara asked quietly.

Grissom stood up, "I managed to get that sentence commuted to a mental health facility on the grounds that Cathal Finney was a corrupt cop and that he used his power to coerce Ellen into giving up three children under threat of severe harm," he explained in a quiet voice. "I'm working on trying to get a settlement for Greg and his family and I'm also trying to get money for Danielle Boscorelli and Danny Messer…"

"She has no connection to you," Sara spoke softly. "Is this why you've been at the office so much when you're off? First, you engage with Lady Heather and now…"

Grissom scoffed, "That was before we were together and I haven't seen her since the therapy session I had while you were in Miami," he replied crossly. "I had heard about you rescuing Rick Stetler on the news and I was feeling threatened…"

Sara's eyes widened, "So you went to Lady Heather?" she asked in an upset voice.

"We had tea and conversation," Grissom snapped. "That's all. I arranged for Ellen's sentence to be commuted because she wrote Greg in despair and he asked me to."

Sara, however, said nothing and merely folded her arms, "I feel like I'm raising Danielle and Gregory completely on my own," she finally said coldly. "They're really smart, smart enough for daycare, but I'm on my own since your mom's away…"

"I started Victims Assistance because I felt powerless after Cathal and Ellen forced me into giving Greg up for adoption," Grissom spoke calmly. "I felt that if I could help…"

Ecklie suddenly came into the doorway, "Grissom, I thought you were going to keep better tabs on those who were involved in that pilot program so we'd know where to send the settlement money when the schools stop screaming at us," he said sternly. "I just got a call from Catherine that James Scott and Darin Mitchell were involved in the murder of an orderly and the assault of Colin Jamison at a mental hospital…"

Grissom frowned, "Catherine tried to call you, but she called me when you didn't answer her phone," Ecklie spoke sternly. "McKeen still has friends in law enforcement and James and Darin got released. I sent a car over to check on Greg and his family just in case, but those two could be anywhere in the region by now. Colin opened up to Catherine and gave her video he shot of them doing their deed."

Ecklie nodded, stunned that Catherine had managed to get through to Colin Jamison despite his mental issues, "Oh, Grissom, I didn't want to mention this in front of Catherine," he spoke in a low voice. "McKeen also had his friends get Sam Braun's sentence commuted to within city limits with a curfew attached. I don't want Catherine or her kids visiting him because we don't know where McKeen is."

"Sam Braun is free?" Catherine asked, having overheard Ecklie as she came to Grissom's office to hand in some overdue reports. "I come back from visiting my lawyer about my divorce and I hear you say that Sam's out of prison?"

Ecklie scoffed, "Don't go visiting him," he replied in a warning voice.

"I don't even care about visiting him," Catherine replied coldly, her expression angry. "Sam was responsible for what happened to my son and he probably knows where McKeen is, but won't share. I just want my children and my soon to be ex safe."

Ecklie sighed, "Catherine, calm down," he replied quietly. "Arranging protection for Lenny and Lindsey will be easy enough, but arranging protection for Rick falls under Grissom's wheelhouse because he's head of Victims Assistance..."

Catherine sighed heavily, "I'm not sure that Rick trusts Grissom or Vegas," she replied.

"Sort it out on your own time," Ecklie snapped as he left. "Not on county time."

Catherine scoffed and left, leaving Sara and Grissom alone, "I...Sara, can we talk about things later?" Grissom asked softly. "It seems I have work messes to deal with."

Sara sighed, but nodded and silently left, deeply hurt that Grissom was seemingly making time for everything and everyone but her, Gregory, and Danielle.

* * *

_**Miami, Florida**_

The address Emily had given him was just outside of the downtown core in a gated community that was near a safe area of beach. Horatio found himself surprised at the multi-level condo that was gated and had every amenity that one could ask for.

Thoughts of Sofia filled Horatio's mind as he knocked on the front door after being buzzed in. Talking could be heard through the door as well as television noises.

"Hello, Lieutenant Caine," Diana spoke warmly as she opened the door.

Horatio sighed calmly, "I thought I might visit with Ryan," he replied softly.

Diana looked over Horatio's shoulder and saw Walter lingering on the sidewalk, "Ryan's inside," she explained calmly. "Won't you both come in?"

Horatio and Walter complied and they were led to the living room where Ryan was relaxing on a couch with an arm around Carlos, who was playing with a toy.

"We moved recently to a bigger house since we asked Ryan and Carlos to live with us," Diana explained calmly. "I was in my office working on a case..."

Ryan woke and sighed at seeing Horatio and Walter, "Hi," he spoke softly.

Horatio and Walter sat in chairs, "I'll be in my office if you need anything, Ryan," Diana spoke kindly as she left the room to go back to working on her case.

"How are you feeling, Ryan?" Horatio asked softly, seeing that Ryan was tired.

Ryan sighed, "I'm over the withdrawals and double pnuemonia, but I still have to go to physio for my body and leg," he replied softly. "I heard you visited..."

"I did, but you were asleep when I did," Horatio replied softly. "Ryan, I wanted to show you something that Sofia wrote me shortly before the incident in Vegas."

Ryan nodded and Horatio got the letters out of his jacket, sighing as he handed the letters to Ryan. Ryan silently read the letters and sighed heavily, tears filling his eyes.

"I...Grissom sort of broke me of knowing that I can be a CSI," Ryan finally spoke in a quiet voice, looking up from the letters. "I resigned before Atwater had the chance to fire me for the way I handled finding you. I involved the pilot program students..."

Horatio frowned, "I was angry that Grissom didn't take responsibility for asking me to involve the students," Ryan replied softly. "He simply hung me out to dry."

"Well, I wanted to ask you if you would consider coming back to do work for us in the lab a few hours a week once you're able," Horatio spoke softly. "I won't force you to agree, but I'd like you to know that there options out there now that you're home."

Ryan sighed heavily, "I'll think about it," he replied quietly. "I really will."

Horatio nodded and rose, "I'll let you rest," he replied, sensing that his and Walter's presence was making Ryan uneasy. "You know how to contact me if..."

Ryan nodded and was quiet as Walter and Horatio dismissed themselves. Once he was alone, he gently cuddled Carlos and allowed tears to stream down his pale face.

* * *

_**Calle Ocho Family Centre**_

Silence greeted Calleigh and Eric as they entered the Family Centre and they quickly noticed James and Julliet asleep on mats in the play area while Emily sat in a beanbag chair with Jesse and a book in her lap. To their amusement, Tim was asleep on another pile of mats, "They look pretty safe to me," Eric spoke in a quiet voice, smiling.

The door to the kitchen suddenly opened and a pregnant waitress with black hair that was streaked blonde came out carrying a basket of chicken tenders and cucumbers. She set the basket on a table and walked over to Tim, Emily, and their kids.

"Your lunch is ready, sir," the waitress spoke softly. "Tony and Anthony cooked it."

Tim smiled and got up, "Thanks," he replied quietly. "James, Julliet, lunch time."

Julliet got up, but James remained asleep. Tim gently picked James up off the mat and he woke, "It's time for lunch, buddy," he spoke softly, spotting Eric and Calleigh.

"Horatio said you were here today and he sent us to make sure you and your family were doing okay," Calleigh spoke up nervously. "You and Emily seem okay."

Jesse suddenly yawned and fell asleep, so Emily set the book aside and got up with him in her arms, "I can eat something now that Jesse's asleep," she spoke as she put Jesse in his carrier. "We've been having some late nights lately cause of the move."

"Where did y'all move, anyway?" Calleigh asked softly, smiling at Emily.

Emily sighed, "Not far from Tim's parents," she replied calmly. "It's got a yard..."

Eric watched as Tim sat at the table with James on his lap while Julliet sat beside them, "James seems very attached to Speedle," he observed quietly. "How old is he?"

"Nearly five," Emily replied patiently. "He's been having trouble adjusting to the move and we're doing what we can to help him. He'll also need a special school..."

Tears filled Emily's eyes, but she brushed them away and looked at the waitress, "Jill, are you wanting help setting up the area you and Tony are using for the wedding?" she asked in a concerned voice. "It's just a few days away and you need help..."

"I think my mother is coming over here after she and my father oversee the shift change at the casino," Jill replied nervously. "They just opened a few weeks ago and there are kinks to work out. I need to run to class later, anyway, so it can wait..."

Calleigh paused, as she suddenly wondered if this Jill was the same Jill who was involved in keeping after Horatio during his time as a captive in Vegas and had testified in court against Jeffrey McKeen, "I need to get ready for class," Jill said softly, suddenly noticing Calleigh studying her. "I already told Anthony and Tony..."

Emily nodded and Jill quickly retreated into the kitchen. Eric suddenly retreated to the bathroom and Emily sighed, "You can tell Horatio that we're fine and that he's also welcome to visit the center if he'd like," she spoke softly. "In fact...he should."

Calleigh nodded, "How's Ryan doing?" she asked softly. "I heard he was released."

"He and Carlos are staying with Tommy and Diana right now," Emily explained in a quiet voice, her expression concerned. "He almost died again..."

Calleigh looked worried, "Do you think he might like a Southern meal?" she asked softly. "I can make him something and see that it gets over to Tommy's."

"That's very kind of you to offer," Emily replied softly. "Thank you."

Just then, Eric returned from the bathroom after discreetly taking medication to stabilize his moods, "Would you both like some lunch?" Emily asked gently.

"While we're here, we're wondering if you heard anything about robberies in this area?" Eric asked quietly. "We heard that McKeen and his crew might be around..."

Emily nodded, "There has been talk among the merchants who supply fresh stuff to the restaurant," she replied softly. "Nothing of any real value is taken; just food, supplies, and whatever's in the registers after closing. I can't help but wonder if they're just reminding Horatio that they're still here. That's just me talking, however..."

Eric looked serious, "Do you have a list of the places hit?" he asked softly. "Horatio just sent us here without anything. It would help if we knew who to talk to..."

While Emily and Eric talked, as Calleigh wanted Eric to practice field investigations on his own and re-develop diplomatic skills, Calleigh wandered over to the table where Tim was eating with James and Julliet, "Hi," she said in a cheery voice.

"Hey Calleigh," Tim spoke warmly. "I know what Horatio told you, but..."

Calleigh nodded, "He also told me the truth," she replied softly. "It's all right."

Tim sighed, but Eric returned before he could respond, "We gotta go," Eric said.

"See ya," Tim replied softly, waving as Eric and Calleigh left the family centre.

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

The diner was quiet and empty, but John was there and quietly sitting in a corner booth while he used his laptop to work on the recently created social media page so Christine could have some customers. Facebook and social media in general was a new thing, but he knew that Christine needed promotion to help the business grow.

"I wish I had more for you to do today," Christine spoke in a warm voice as she came out of the kitchen with two green teas and set them on the table. "It's a bit slow."

John sighed, "School's done for the day, Caira's still in class til late, and my family's busy with their own stuff," he explained softly. "My advisor says that NYPD wants to put me in a precinct and that LVPD and MDPD want to give me bravery awards..."

Christine smiled, but she looked concerned that John wasn't excited, "My dad's in a precinct and he'd be proud of me, but I'm a bit young to start in a precinct," John spoke anxiously. "I also have issues I need to work out with what happened..."

"I did hear about Sofia Wolfe's death and I'm sorry," Christine replied softly.

John nodded, "McKeen gave me the chance to leave that warehouse alone, but I didn't take it," he explained softly. "And I pretended to be Ryan Wolfe because Sofia was asking where he was and she was too sick to know that he wasn't there..."

Christine looked thoughtful, "The media never said that," she spoke softly, sitting.

"Because Catherine wouldn't let Grissom or Ecklie release that detail to the media even though it's in the police reports," John replied quietly. "There was a tape, but the sound was so choppy that nobody knows what was said outside of the lab..."

Christine sighed, "Before I went to Vegas, I worked for Detective Taylor part time and he didn't let me do everything, but I learned enough to know how to hold my own at a scene," John spoke softly. "He referred me to the pilot project and reassured me that the second best lab in the country would be the best place for me to learn the job..."

John exhaled anxiously, "I'm sorry, you don't need to hear how angry I am at Grissom for letting things get so out of control," he apologized. "I've been through a lot."

"You were kidnapped _twice_," Christine reasoned gently. "You're allowed to be angry, especially since one of the other hostages died. You chose to have compassion and that's not a bad thing. I'm sure Ryan was very grateful for your help with Sofia..."

John sighed, "I can't help but wonder, though, if I'm doing enough to be a good person," he spoke quietly. "I've thought of writing Ryan and Horatio dozens of times. I really haven't even spoken to Mac much since I got home from Vegas..."

"Mac Taylor?" Christine asked softly, smiling. "I haven't heard that name in a while."

John suddenly realized that Christine somehow knew Mac, "Um, he might be on social media," he replied. "I'm on there anyway and I could look..."

Christine nodded and John offered her the laptop, "Perhaps you could invest in some self-care?" she asked in a kind voice as she logged into Facebook and looked Mac up.

John nodded, "I found him," Christine replied softly as she clicked 'Add Friend.'

* * *

**_Las Vegas, Nevada_**

The sight of Sara sitting in the corner with Gregory and Danielle, both of whom were over-developed for their age, prompted Greg to stop in his tracks. He had come to the daycare to enroll Matthew and Jessica so that Jenny could have a break for rest and online classes and was satisfied that they would be all right. Sara, however, looked tired and there seemed to be no sign of Grissom anywhere: was he at the lab again?

"Sara?"

Sara looked up and was surprised to see Greg there, "Hey," she spoke softly.

"I didn't know your kids were old enough for daycare?" Greg asked kindly.

Sara sighed, "Grissom's mother is travelling and Grissom works nights, so it's not all the time," she replied softly. "It's only when I have things to do while Grissom works, but he seems to be working more and more. He also does other work..."

"I asked him to put my birth mother in a mental health facility," Greg admitted softly, his expression worried. "We write, but her letters stress me out. I'm hoping the facility will help and I hope the condition we offered Derek's lawyer will also help us..."

Greg sighed, "Jenny and I talked and we, through our lawyer, decided to offer Derek and Emily supervised visitation on the condition that they complete parenting classes," he explained softly. "If they do them, they'd come to Vegas to visit..."

Sara frowned, "Greg, did you ask Grissom to phone your birth mother weekly to check how things are going?" she asked softly. "Grissom implied that you did..."

"No, I keep in touch with Ellen through letters," Greg replied in a confused, concerned voice. "I phone Danielle sometimes, but Danny doesn't keep in touch very much and I get that. He didn't seem overly keen on the fact that he had extra siblings and Doctor Kessler advised me to take the communication slowly..."

Sara nodded, realizing that Grissom was keeping in touch with people like Ellen Seville and Lady Heather because he wanted to and not for business. Greg sighed.

"Now that the kids are enrolled, I should get home," Greg replied in a patient voice.

Again, Sara nodded and gathered Gregory and Danielle before leaving the daycare in silence. She loaded the vehicle and then drove back to her home in silence.

* * *

_**Manhattan, New York**_

Carlos sighed heavily as he sat down on a chair in the exam room, his hand holding tight to a cane that he now used after progressing enough in rehabilitation to ditch the wheelchair. Holly was off the street and serving as an instructor for EMS while Tommy and Kylie were in school and she was home when they were all home.

Dr. Pride offered a reassuring smile as she sat down across from him, "The tumors weren't cancerous, but I want you to keep going to rehab," she explained in a quiet voice. "Don't worry about work or anything else. Just focus on you.."

Carlos nodded as he let out a relieved sigh, "Thank you," he replied softly.

Dr. Pride nodded and helped Carlos get up, "I wish you were taking on more patients besides me because you really are skilled," he spoke softly. "You're a good doctor."

"Thank you, but I also acted in breach of the law and I have to face the consequences for that," Dr. Pride replied as she opened the door and found Holly sitting in a chair, her pregnancy beginning to show. "You should tell your wife the good news."

Carlos went to Holly and Dr. Pride took the chart with her as she went down the hallway. The chart, with Carlos's permission, would now be submitted as evidence as to her fitness as a physician. The trial for her would be in May as far as she knew.

"Doktor Pride?" a feminine Russian accent suddenly spoke. "How are you?"

Dr. Pride turned and saw a very pregnant Anya coming off the elevator, "Anya, how are you doing?" she asked in a worried voice. "You look a bit tired..."

Anya sighed, "I vas just here to see how ze baby is," she replied softly. "I am going to get a cab to Pavel's warehouse and then go to see Mama. How are you doing?"

Before Dr. Pride could reply, Detective Angell came into view, "Ready?" she asked.

"Could we do a favor for Anya first?" Dr. Pride asked in a worried voice.

Detective Angell hesitated briefly, but eventually nodded and offered a smile.

* * *

"It's not our fault that Colin Jamison knows how to fight!" James Scott whined as he followed an irritated looking Ivan into the large common area within a luxury apartment in the industrial district of New York where Clavo was smoking a cigar. "I thought we'd kill him too!"

Ivan scoffed, "You idiots weren't even supposed to kill that orderly!" he snapped, his expression angry as he looked at James. "You were supposed to grab Colin for torture and you messed up! It's a good thing you two were able to fly out as fast as you did!"

"Colin's weak," James hissed coldly. "Can I have a cigar too?"

McKeen scoffed as he suddenly strode into the room holding Darin Mitchell by his shirt collar and threw him on the carpet, "We're done in Vegas for now because of what you did!" he hissed coldly. "You probably left your prints all over the place!"

"I thought you were mad at some chick from New York!" Darin hissed. "What were we even doing in Las Vegas? I thought you wanted to kidnap someone from here to force some jag in Miami to come out of hiding! What exactly are we doing?!"

McKeen swore, "You two are going to put on disguises and go over to Pavel LaRusso's company posing as customers," he hissed coldly. "You'll wait until his back is turned and then you'll grab him. I want him back here alive at any cost."

"And what is the purpose of kidnapping Pavel LaRusso?" James asked. "He's..."

McKeen glared at him, "He's told the police I was behind the kidnapping and torture of Horatio Caine," he hissed coldly. "I'm wanted for multiple gruesome offenses against Horatio and I'm also wanted for Sofia Wolfe's death. Pavel was on my side until it meant losing everything his daddy gave him. Anya's just as bad, however..."

Ivan quickly retrieved nice suits, wigs, and sunglasses from a closet in the corner of the room and James and Darin quickly disguised themselves. McKeen gave them the address on a slip of paper and waved them off, a menacing expression on his face. They grabbed two lethal looking weapons and a few smoke bombs before leaving the safety of the building, as they would need to get away without being followed.

* * *

"What are you doing?" John heard a quiet voice ask as he came out of his studio apartment/bedroom after taking his blankets to the single bed that was in there.

John sighed as he saw his mother come into the house with David, Ellie, and Ray Jr. in tow. His grandmother was still at work and his grandfather had been babysitting Michael, Emily, and Nicolas, but all of them were currently having a nap.

"I'm moving some things into the studio apartment," John replied in a quiet voice, his expression calm. "I decided to do that because I need time for self-care and time to process certain things. David's getting older and I know he'd be happy with his own room. I'll hang with the family still, but I also will want some personal space."

Danielle smiled, "I think that's a good idea," she replied calmly. "I'm glad you're actually taking time for yourself. That's why your grandpa gave you that studio."

"I like having my own room," Ellie spoke softly. "It lets me think a lot."

David sighed, "If Maritza comes back, I'll have to share with Mikey," he said softly.

"David, I know you miss Maritza, but don't talk like that in front of your dad because it hurts him to think about her a lot," Danielle spoke gently. "Need help, John?"

John sighed, "Actually, I'm a little tired, so I might go have a nap," he replied softly.

"David, Ellie, Ray, do your homework," Danielle instructed softly as John silently went into his studio apartment and closed the door so he could rest in quiet.

* * *

"You seem deestracted," Stella heard a quiet voice speak as she sat at a table in the main warehouse, silently going over the budget for the rest of the year. "Vat ees it?"

Stella looked up to see Pavel lingering with a clipboard in hand, "Oh, sorry, I know these need to get done," she replied softly. "I was just thinking about Horatio down in Miami. We spent Christmas together, but then he had to go home and back to work..."

Pavel nodded, but before he could reply, the doors opened and Dr. Pride came into the warehouse helping Anya walk while Detective Angell trailed behind, "Anya, you should be resting," Pavel spoke worriedly. "How vas ze appointment for ze baby?"

"The baby's growing quite well," Anya replied softly. "How's the business?"

Pavel smiled, but he was cut off by the sound of tires squealing. Angell drew her gun, unsure of what was happening, but feeling uneasy about the sudden noise.

The doors to the warehouse suddenly burst open and the disguised James and Darin burst in with a backup guy at their heels, as McKeen didn't trust them to execute plans successfully without supervision, "NYPD!" Angell shouted, aiming her gun at them. "I'm Detective Angell of the NYPD and you'd better stop or I'll shoot!"

Without warning, James, Darin, and their third started shooting their weapons everywhere, prompting Pavel to pull Anya to the floor. As he ran for the phone, one of the bullets hit him in the stomach and he collapsed to the floor. Angell fired at the third and immediately downed him before shooting at James and Darin.

"Dude, there's a cop here!" James shouted over the shooting. "Let's go!"

Darin swore, pulled the smoke devices out of his pocket, and threw them at the group to keep them from following. As the place filled with smoke, he and James escaped.

Dr. Pride quickly checked Anya, but she shakily managed to get up and screamed when she saw that Pavel was injured. Stella hurried over to Pavel, as did Dr. Pride and Anya, "I'll call 9-1-1," Stella spoke anxiously, pulling her cell out. "And the lab."

Dr. Pride, meanwhile had unbuttoned Pavel's shirt and saw that he had been hit in the stomach. She quickly took off her jacket and began to do what she could for him.

* * *

Nearly two hours later, crime scene tape blocked off the building from public entry and police, paramedics, and CSI's were everywhere. Clavo's residence wasn't far from there and so McKeen found himself watching the scene on television with disgust.

Once James and Darin had returned without the third man and bleeding from bullets, McKeen and Ivan had rushed them down to the docks where Clavo's yacht waited in hiding. Clavo had reluctantly packed and had summoned a medic to join them.

"What happened there?!" McKeen asked coldly as he turned to the seats where James and Darin were seated, both of them sporting bandages that covered bullet wounds.

James sighed, "Pavel wasn't alone is what happened," he replied shakily. "That Doctor Pride lady was there and his super pregnant sister was also hanging around..."

"And Detective Angell from NYPD!" Darin whined. "And some curly haired chick!"

McKeen's eyes narrowed, as he realized that Stella Bonasera must have been there, "Detective Angell?" he asked in a cold voice. "That name sounds very familiar..."

James responded by groaning and laying on the seat, the pain medication he was given finally taking effect. Ivan came into the cabin looking somewhat relieved.

"The captain can take the yacht to Miami," Ivan spoke. "Clavo misses home."

McKeen nodded, "I want this Detective Angell dealt with," he hissed angrily.

"I got guys who can do it," Ivan promised anxiously. "But I'm sure Dan and Valera and the guys down south want to be included. We're drawing too much attention to ourselves right now and we need to go quiet. Why not wait until the trials?"

McKeen sighed heavily, "Kidnapping the LaRusso brat has clearly failed and we need to go to Miami to regroup," he snapped coldly, scowling. "Tell the captain to set sail."

"I...I vas very fortunate zat eet vas not worse," Pavel spoke weakly as he lay in a hospital bed, several hours after the shooting with bandages covering his wounds.

Mac, who had followed the ambulance to the hospital, nodded calmly, "It's a good thing Doctor Pride was there and was able to help," he replied simply. "You..."

"She helped me and I am very glad zat Anya was not hurt," Pavel replied weakly. "I recognized ze boys from Vegas and I am sure zat Jeffrey McKeen sent zem to punish me for talking to ze police about Horatio Caine. I am feeling scared for my life."

Mac nodded and Pavel sighed, "Anya is resting with Mama now, but zey are scared for me and vant me to contact Bobby een Miami for help," Pavel spoke quietly, the pain medication beginning to make him sleepy. "I would not mind, but I am sure zat Horatio Caine remembers vat ve did and he vould probably razzer see us dead."

"I'm not sure Lieutenant Caine is a vengeful man," Mac replied simply.

Pavel sighed weakly, "You may reach out to zem if you weesh," he replied sleepily.

Mac sighed and left the room so Pavel could rest, cursing only when the door was closed and the uniform guarding the door could hear him, "Detective, I know I may have breached condition to save Pavel, but I accept that," Dr. Pride's voice spoke.

"How long have you been there?" Mac asked as he turned to see Dr. Pride sitting with Detective Angell on a row of plastic chairs. "Did you get checked out by anyone?"

Dr. Pride sighed, "I'm physically fine, but I'm sure they were not expecting me or anyone else to be there," she spoke softly. "McKeen wants Pavel LaRusso dead."

Mac made a mental note to contact Detective Caine as soon as possible about the situation.

* * *

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	8. Graduation Day: Part 1 - April 2007

**_April_**

**_Miami, Florida_**

"Dude, Miami is _so _boring," James Scott whined as he and Darin Mitchell drove down the street in Downtown Miami after getting stuff from a fresh food market. "Can we find a club?"

Darin Mitchell scowled as he drove, irritated that the downtown core was so busy and traffic went endlessly slow, "No, we can't," he snapped. "Clavo would get mad if we got into trouble and so..."

The vehicle suddenly stopped and Darin swore, "Look," he hissed. "Isn't that Ryan Wolfe?"

James peered through the tinted window in the direction that Darin was pointed and he was surprised to see Ryan walk out on to the terrace of an outdoor cafe using a cane to support himself. The two men watched as Ryan approached a table where a very familiar, pregnant woman was sitting.

"That's Jill Adams," James hissed anxiously. "Did Wolfe knock her up and stash her here?"

Darin sighed, "We have to get back to the headquarters and tell Ivan," he spoke anxiously. "_Now_."

Unaware that they had been seen, Ryan sighed as he sat at the table with Jill, "I'm sorry I haven't checked on you, but I got really sick as soon as I got home," he spoke in a quiet voice.

"It's okay," Jill replied quietly. "I've been doing what you said and working on finishing school while getting my life together. You told me to just be safe, but my parents...we haven't talked much since we moved and I think they're angry that we had to leave Vegas. They blame me for that..."

Ryan nodded, "I got married to Tony Speedle a couple of months ago, though," Jill continued softly, determined to stay positive. "We met at Miami-Dade University when the culinary program put on a foodie day for the other students. I'm still pursuing Criminal Justice, but not Criminalistics..."

"I don't know why not," Ryan replied softly. "You seemed very talented at it, but Vegas didn't see it."

Jill gave Ryan a look, "You're talented at it too," she challenged softly. "I know it hurts, but..."

"I'm working up the courage to try," Ryan replied softly. "Did you need anything? You or your...?"

Jill sighed, "We're fine," she replied in a concerned voice. "What about you and...Carlos, right?"

"I don't know yet," Ryan admitted quietly. "I don't know if I'll ever be okay."

Jill nodded and sighed, "Is there anything I can do for you and Carlos?" she asked worriedly. "You helped me and that's why McKeen took you and Sofia. He was angry about losing access to me..."

"Just keep staying safe," Ryan replied with finality. "I'm living with family and seeing a therapist. I'm also doing my best to take care of Carlos, so I'm doing all I can right now. You just do the same."

Jill sighed, "I have to get to class, but thanks for checking on me," she said as she stood up.

Ryan waited til she was gone before he left the cafe and made his way back to the cab he had gotten for the rendezvous with Jill, "Take me to the Miami-Dade Crime Lab," he said as he got into the backseat.

* * *

_**Miami, Florida**_

"Ryan Wolfe and Jill Adams?" McKeen asked coldly, his eyes narrowing as he stared at James and Darin in the safety of Clavo's common area. "You must be joking. Ryan Wolfe's in Vegas."

James and Darin exchanged a look, "The dude's probably back and working at the Crime Lab," Darin hissed coldly. "I bet you Rick Stetler got him back here and helped him get his job back."

McKeen raised an eyebrow, as it seemed plausible, "Ryan made Jill leave Vegas and he's hiding her here because she's scared of me," he reasoned coldly. "She tattled on me to escape jail..."

"Can't we go attack the Crime Lab and snatch Wolfe again?" James asked eagerly.

Clavo, who had been listening to the conversation from his easychair, smirked and hooted, "From criminalist student to criminal," he said in an amused voice. "You've got some nasty ideas."

"It takes time to organize a huge attack like that," McKeen replied, seemingly unimpressed. "I've already tortured Ryan Wolfe and I don't see a reason to attack the Miami-Dade Crime Lab..."

The phone suddenly rang and McKeen answered it, "_I have Rick's daughter_," Sam's voice spoke.

McKeen frowned, "Sam Braun, what have you done?" he asked in a cold voice. "What did you...?"

"_You went to Miami to grab Rick without my permission or my help, you..."_ Sam hissed, rattling profanities off as if they were normal words to him, hoping that his lie was enough to make McKeen angry. "_You left some of your Russian buddies behind after torturing the Wolfes and they were mad enough at you to help me. Like my plan_?"

McKeen swore as Lindsey screamed, but the call promptly ended, "Sam Braun is going to DIE," he snapped, his face full of fury as he slammed the phone down. "Clavo, I need you to go to Vegas..."

"Because of my immunity?" Clavo asked slyly. "You want me to pop off Sam Braun for you?"

McKeen nodded and glared at James and Darin, "No doubt Miami is going to be involved once Catherine opens her mouth," he hissed coldly. "We need to go and distract them from this..."

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

"I brought you here because I have a surprise for you," Bosco spoke in a serious voice as he led John off the elevator on to the floor where the Crime Lab was. "Surprise is in Detective Taylor's office."

As John approached Mac's office, he could see his mother and grandfather there as well as Jo, Danny, Lindsay, Flack, Sid, Adam, and Hawkes, "What's going on?" he asked as they entered the office. "I'm going to be late..."

Mac took a folder off of his desk and offered it to John, "The results of your national police exam came in and I thought you might like them," he replied, smiling. "I know you've got to go, so we won't keep you."

John opened the folder and his eyes widened, "I passed...with honors?" he asked in a shocked voice.

Danielle hugged John and Bosco went around the desk, smiling as he produced a garment bag with an NYPD uniform in it, "We got you something nice to wear to graduation since you've earned the rank," Bosco explained.

"I...I'm not going to a precinct," John replied nervously. "I told you that. I'm going to pursue my Master's..."

Bosco nodded, "You still have the rank," he replied calmly. "Even if you only do co-ops, the rank is yours."

John nodded, "After the general ceremony, the NYPD will be presenting you with your honors," Mac explained in a calm voice. "NYU agreed to settle with NYPD if they did your ceremony as part of the convocation..."

"Go get changed," Bosco spoke in a calm voice. "If we don't hurry, we really will be late for Convocation."

John took the bag and silently left the office, "You raised that, Danni," Bosco said proudly, smiling at Danielle.

Danielle sighed, "I'm very proud of him," she replied quietly. "He's come so far in such a short time."

"What about that girlfriend of his?" Danny asked slyly. "Isn't she graduating today too?"

Danielle shook her head, "Caira chose to go at a slower pace and she doesn't graduate until next spring, but she's perfectly happy with that," she explained calmly. "She offered to watch the younger kids til we went to NYU."

Mac nodded and smiled as John suddenly returned wearing the NYPD garb. Bosco, who was wearing his Sergeant's uniform because he had to work later that day, smiled, "This deserves a picture," Danielle said.

"You look just like I did when I joined NYPD," Sully commented as Bosco and John posed for a photo.

Danielle smiled as she took several photos with her camera, "Let's get going," she said in an excited voice. "We need to stop at the apartment and get Caira, David, Ellie, Mikey, and Emily. Yelina's already there with Ray Jr. and Nicolas. We also need to grab Grandma Rose on the way to campus since she said she needed a ride..."

"You all go ahead," Mac spoke quietly. "I need a word with Danny and Danielle about a personal matter."

Bosco looked like he wanted to stay, but Danielle sighed, "Maurice, go," she spoke softly. "I'll tell you later."

"Do I need to know anything?" Sully asked curiously, suddenly worried. "Should I be here for this?"

Danielle sighed, "Dad, I'll tell you everything later," she replied, wondering if it had to do with her birth mother.

Danny and Danielle stayed behind while everyone else left, but they looked concerned, "Mac, what's up?" Danny asked in a concerned voice. "I've been working hard and I apologized to Detective Caine before he left..."

"Danny, I just found out that Ellen Seville's sentence was commuted from Riker's to a mental health facility in the city in February," Mac spoke quietly. "Greg Sanders asked Gil Grissom to help him because Ellen wrote distressing letters to Greg about how prison was hard on her. Ellen and her therapists were hoping to have a group session."

Danielle looked appalled, but Danny flinched, "Grissom got Ellen out of jail?" she asked in an upset voice. "She was put there for dealing drugs to Emily Yokas! How did he get her out? Did he sleep with her or tell a bunch of lies?!"

Danny's eyes widened in shock, "I've never seen you this angry as long as I've known you," he replied sofly.

"Grissom's always done what he can to ignore the rules in favor of what he can do for people and that's why Warrick ended up getting off after shooting me!" Danielle shouted, her expression angry. "Ellen Seville has made it quite clear that I was the mistake in her life and I've forgiven her attitude towards me, but I really don't want anything to do with her or her therapy. I don't want my kids being influenced to do bad things because of her!"

Mac sighed, "I understand, but the centre did make the request," he replied patiently. "You can say no."

"I was raised by a decent woman and this whole thing with Ellen confuses me," Danny admitted softly. "I did visit her in prison, though, and she explained that this Cathal Finney was an extremely controlling, abusive, dirty cop."

Danielle exhaled anxiously, "I'm friends with his daughter-in-law, Grace, and his son, Brendan," she explained in a stern voice. "My father and Ty Davis mentioned that Cathal was a corrupt cop. Ellen said he was corrupt, but then she sold drugs to a girl my husband watched grow up. I'd love to blame all her behavior on Cathal, but I can't."

Danny opened his mouth to speak, but Danielle cut him off, "When I first met her, she acted as if I was her mistake and like she couldn't wait to get away from me," she spoke sadly. "I was raised by my very loving father."

Mac nodded, but Danny sighed, "Louie's in a rehab facility right now because of how he was beaten up and he might be there forever because he can't live on his own, but hanging with him taught me forgiveness," Danny spoke quietly, his expression concerned. "If you keep hating her, it's just gonna eat you up inside."

"I don't hate her, but she's very much the same as Edward and Warrick were," Danielle replied in an upset voice. "I was held hostage by Edward for several days and treated as nothing more than a piece of meat. I drugged him and drove myself back to the city with a broken arm and when Warrick shot me, I called for help. I don't have hate against anyone, but you can't expect me to associate with someone I do not trust. My experiences..."

Bosco suddenly walked into the office, scowling when he saw that Danielle was upset, "What's going on?" he asked in a stern voice. "John's gone to NYU and Sully went home, but I decided to wait for my wife..."

"Maurice, can we just go?" Danielle asked anxiously, fighting to keep it together. "It's John's day."

Bosco, however, scowled at Danny, "I heard how you went after LaRusso at Christmastime, Messer," he growled.

Danny flinched, "Maurice, let's go," Danielle spoke anxiously. "We can talk after everything's all done for the day."

Bosco continued to scowl, but nodded and left with Danielle, "What's she talking about?" Danny asked softly.

"A couple of years ago, Danielle Sullivan was kidnapped from her hospital room by former police officer and her ex, Edward Addison," Mac explained softly. "We couldn't find her and the case wasn't ever fully solved because she suddenly showed up back in New York with his car. I guess we now know how she got back to the city."

Danny sighed, "Maybe apologize after the graduation," Mac said gently. "We should get going."

* * *

**_Las Vegas, Nevada_**

_McKeen left me here to rot while he went to deal with Rick on his own. _Sam Braun thought bitterly as he sat in his limousine, resting as his chauffeur took him to his casinos for the day where he could escape and go to Butterfield Academy to kidnap Catherine's children and put his plan against McKeen into action. _I should put a price on his head._

As the limo stopped at a red light, Sam spotted Catherine's children, Lindsey and Lenny, walking down a sidewalk in nice clothes and with bags over their shoulders, "Pull over," Sam ordered in a commanding voice.

The limo pulled over and Sam got out, "Lindsey, Lenny, would you like a ride to school?" he asked gently.

"No," Lenny replied nervously, backing away as he frowned. "You let that creepy cop hurt me..."

Sam frowned and Lindsey walked over to him, "Lenny, Mom said we could trust Grandpa Sam," she argued.

"I'm not getting in his car," Lenny replied, his expression upset. "I don't have to and you can't make me."

Lindsey scowled and promptly crawled into the limo, "Be stubborn like your loser father," Sam hissed.

Lenny, however, remained firm and stayed where he was. Sam scowled and climbed back into the limo.

As the limo drove away, Lenny looked around for a pay phone so he could phone his mother to tell him that Lindsey had gone off with Sam Braun. His mother didn't allow them to have phones because she didn't have money for them and she didn't want them using them at school when they were supposed to be learning. He began walking and promptly entered a neighborhood filled with condos and apartments that he didn't recognize.

Panic filled Lenny and he promptly sat on the grass, trying to control his panic as he did so.

* * *

"Daddy?"

Nick yawned as he came out of his condo and found Parker standing on the sidewalk, staring across the street instead of getting into the truck, "Daddy, there's someone sitting on the grass over there," Parker said softly.

Frowning, Nick quickly locked the door and went over to where Parker was standing. He was horrified to see that Lenny Stetler was sitting on the grass, having a quiet panic attack while Lindsey was nowhere in sight. He quickly put Parker in the car and secured him in his seat before hurrying across the street to Lenny, "Hey there, Lenny," Nick spoke in a worried voice. "What are you doing here?"

"I...Lindsey and I were walking to school because Mom had to pull a double and Grandma had other things to do this morning and Sam Braun came up to us in a limo," Lenny managed to say in an anxious voice, his expression upset. "He offered us a ride and Lindsey went with him..."

Nick frowned, "Lindsey got in a car with Sam Braun?" he asked worriedly. "Where'd they go?"

Lenny shrugged, "How about you come with me and we'll go to the Crime Lab to see your mom?" Nick suggested in a concerned voice. "You shouldn't be walking anywhere alone..."

"Okay," Lenny replied quietly as he got up. "Mom said we can trust you."

Nick led Lenny over to his truck and waited til he was in with his seatbelt in before getting in, buckling up, and taking off towards the Crime Lab with his siren on. It didn't take long for him to get to the Crime Lab and as he got Lenny and Parker out of the car, Ecklie came storming out.

"Stokes, what do you mean by running your siren?" Ecklie asked crossly. "That costs money."

Nick sighed, "Where's Catherine?" he asked. "Her daughter got in a car with Sam Braun..."

Ecklie's eyes narrowed as he saw Lenny and Parker and he sighed irritably, a grim expression on his face as he escorted them inside, "CATHERINE!" Ecklie shouted in an infuriated voice.

Cursing filled the lab as Catherine came out of her office, "I need you and Grissom in my office right now!" Ecklie snapped irritably. "Stokes just found your son alone and your daughter is with Sam Braun!"

"I thought Grandma was going to take you two to school, Lenny?" Catherine asked in a concerned voice, frowning at her son. "She spent the night at the house and she was going to take you..."

Ecklie scowled, "Where's Grissom?" he asked crossly. "I know he was scheduled..."

"I'm covering for Grissom because he flew out to New York for John Boscorelli's graduation and he should be back by this evening," Catherine replied anxiously. "Ray, Greg, Morgan, Nick, Hodges, and I managed the shift just fine, but I have to do all the paperwork. I thought he told you..."

Ecklie sighed irritably, but nodded as Catherine's cell rang, "Hello?" she said as she answered it.

There was quiet talking, followed by screaming and Catherine swore, "Lindsey!" she screamed.

A click followed and Catherine exhaled anxiously, "Some Russian was on the phone and said that Sam has Lindsey there and unless Rick resurfaces, I might lose her," she spoke in an anxious voice.

"Stokes, call everyone back in right _now_," Ecklie ordered in a stern voice, his expression serious.

Catherine sighed anxiously, "I need to help find my daughter," she spoke anxiously. "Please."

"Since Grissom's not here, you're Acting Supervisor and you can supervise, but you can't process anything," Ecklie spoke sternly. "Stokes, do something with those kids, will you?"

Nick sighed and watched as Catherine got on her phone again, "I'd rather Lenny stay with me today, given what happened," she spoke anxiously. "Rick is legally Lindsey's dad, so I need to phone him."

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

The taxi was gone and Ryan found himself merely standing in the parking lot, leaning on his cane as he tried to muster up the courage to step inside the police building. He couldn't run from it forever.

"Ryan?"

Ryan turned to see Alexx getting out of her car, "Hey," he spoke softly. "I thought I'd visit..."

Alexx nodded as she walked over to him, "Horatio mentioned to me that he talked to you about coming back," she spoke softly. "He also mentioned that you were struggling to find the courage..."

"I know what Eric and Calleigh thought of me," Ryan spoke softly. "I...I'm scared to come back."

Alexx sighed, "What happened to you made me realize that I haven't been spending enough time among the living and being grateful for them," she spoke gently. "I'm cutting back my hours, but when Horatio can find someone else, I'm going to leave and work at the hospital emergency room."

Ryan frowned, but nodded and Alexx hugged him, "Now, you don't have to go in and say yes to Horatio right now, but why don't we just walk through the lab?" Alexx asked softly. "You and me?"

"I guess we could," Ryan replied in a quiet voice, sighing. "That seems really easy."

Alexx put a motherly arm around Ryan and they walked inside, only stopping to get a VISITOR badge and wait for the elevator. When the elevator reached the Crime Lab, they stepped off and stopped.

"My leg's aching a bit," Ryan spoke quietly. "Could...could we sit down for a moment?"

Alexx nodded and they sat on the couch, "...If you try and stop me from getting on a plane, Delko, I will make sure you're fired!" an angry voice suddenly shouted. "I don't need a police chopper!"

Ryan froze as Eric, Calleigh, Jesse, Tim, and Walter suddenly came down the hallway with an angry Rick, "Rick, I highly advise you take the chopper," Calleigh spoke urgently. "It will be faster..."

"And easier to notice," Rick hissed angrily. "Sam Braun and the Russians have Lindsey..."

Jesse suddenly stepped in, "Look, this may be to get you," he spoke quietly. "This feels like that."

Calleigh looked at Tim, "Speedle, what were the findings of the investigation into the robberies?" he asked in a quiet voice. "The reports said that DNA from two former criminalists were found?"

"Yeah, DNA from Dan Cooper and Maxine Valera were found at a couple of the locations," Tim replied in a patient voice. "If they haven't changed their phones since they left here, maybe we could ping..."

Calleigh nodded, "They may have left them in their current location and are using burner phones," he explained in a calm voice. "Go see if AV can ping their old numbers. The robberies suddenly stopped last month, so that means their plans or level of resources must have changed...meaning..."

"I'll get on it," Calleigh spoke anxiously as she hurried off back into the lab.

Calleigh sighed, "Rick, let's just wait and see what Vegas finds on their end before you go running there," he spoke in a quiet voice. "McKeen is obviously not there since Sam is working with the Russians. What exactly did Catherine say to you when she phoned you with the news?"

"She said the Russians phoned her and she could hear screaming and crying on the phone," Rick replied in an irritated voice. "Look, I know McKeen and his dumb goons are after me, all right? I know I'm not Lindsey's biological father, but I still care about whether or not she's safe and happy."

Calleigh nodded, "I understand that, Rick, but Vegas is the primary on this..." he replied softly.

"I'm going to call Catherine again," Rick spoke as the elevator doors opened and Natalia walked on to the Crime Lab floor with Robert. "Just...do your thing and don't bother me til you have something..."

Sounds of gunfire suddenly filled the air, prompting Alexx to dive to the floor with Ryan because neither of them were armed. As windows shattered, everyone else found themselves diving to the floor.

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

"_We as an academic institution thank you for attending this morning's Convocation ceremony and we are now going to have a very special presentation hosted by the New York Police Department..._

Those who had not wanted to stay or had wanted to go celebrate their graduation had been given time to leave and the area had been rearranged. Now, Bosco, Danielle, Sully, Yelina, David, Ellie, Ray Jr., Mikey, Emily, Nicolas, and Caira sat in the front row of the rearranged seats because they were John's family. Ty, Sasha, Carlos, Holly, Tommy, Kylie, Kim, Jimmy, Joey, Camille, Swersky, Faith, Charlie, Alex, Captain Miller, Jo, Danny, Lindsay, Lucy, Hawkes, Sid, Flack, and Adam sat in the next rows while everyone else who wanted to stay and other NYPD officers sat in rows behind them.

On the stage, which NYU's faculty had cleared after the ceremonies concluded, sat Chief Sinclair, Chief Carver, Jim Brass, Grissom, Mac, Horatio, the Mayor, and the NYPD Commissioner, Dan Stanwyk. John was sitting at the end of the row, his eyes forward and pointedly ignoring the presence of campus, city, and county media that were there for the event.

Commissioner Stanwyk got up and stood at the podium, "As the years pass, we have many who come through the ranks of NYPD and learn many lessons along the way including bravery and honor," he said in an official voice. "John Boscorelli is only 18 years old, but he has just graduated from NYU with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice and will be pursuing his Master's Degree in the Fall. He has previously worked in the New York Crime Lab and has also participated in a semester at UNLV that included a co-op with the Las Vegas Crime Lab. For his age, John Boscorelli is accomplished."

Swallowing hard, Stanwyk continued, "John Boscorelli has also demonstrated bravery on multiple occasions in that he killed Dennis Sackheim when the New York Crime Lab was under siege; he rescued Horatio Caine from near death in Las Vegas; and he served as comfort for a dying woman during a very tedious situation," he said formally. "During his time in Las Vegas, John Boscorelli also took the Officer's Test and passed with honors and so, we grant him the rank of Officer. John, rise..."

John silently stood up and stood at attention as Stanwyk walked over to him. Applause filled the air as Stanwyk put a shield on the pocket of John's uniform before shaking his hand for photo ops.

"With that said, I would also like to bestow the Combat Cross on Officer Boscorelli for his bravery in killing Agent Sackheim when the New York Crime Lab was under siege and for his actions in Las Vegas," Stanwyk continued, hanging a medal around John's neck. "Lieutenant Horatio Caine."

Horatio got up and promptly collected some small cases off the podium before walking over to John, "Your actions in Vegas were very brave and you were responsible for me being rescued when I was facing certain death," he spoke in a quiet voice as he opened the box. "As I processed things, I came to the conclusion that such honorable actions cannot go without reward and so I petitioned for you to receive the NYPD Medal of Honor and the NYPD Purple Heart. Please accept these and be proud."

Anxious whispering and applause filled the air as Horatio delivered the items to John and more photos were taken, "Thank you, sir," John replied quietly. "I…I'm relieved to see that you're all right."

Horatio nodded and quietly retreated, self-conscious about the fact that he was being photographed and filmed, "Doctor Gilbert Grissom of the Las Vegas Crime Lab and Detective Jim Brass of the Las Vegas Police Department will now bestow the national rank of Officer and the Exceptional Merit Award."

Grissom and Brass got up and walked over to John and Grissom put the shield on John's lower jacket pocket while Brass put the award on John's collar. Both men shook John's hand and posed for photos.

"This ceremony is concluded," Stanwyk announced. "Have a nice rest of your day, everyone."

Noise filled the area as the crowd got up and made their way over to the stage to visit with John.

* * *

_**Miami, Florida**_

_As the shooting began, Alexx pulled Ryan to the floor immediately since they weren't armed and as the crisis intensified, everyone else dove for cover as quickly as they could. _Calleigh thought as she opened her eyes, shocked to hear silence in the place of the screaming and glass shattering that had been present. She swallowed hard and got up, keeping a hand on her holster just in case.

Every single window in and outside of the lab had been shattered, the walls were torn up with bullet holes, but the equipment seemed relatively undamaged. That settled, she turned her attention to the other people just in time to see Alexx helping Ryan up off the floor, "You okay, baby?" she asked.

"Bobby?" Natalia's weak voice spoke. "Bobby, I think the shooting stopped…"

Calleigh frowned as Natalia got up and suddenly let out a scream as she saw that Robert was unconscious and on his stomach beside Natalia, having covered her during the shooting and been knocked off by the impact. There was a bloodstain on his shirt, very close to his waist.

"I…I can't feel my legs," Robert mumbled weakly, not waking. "Talia…where are you?"

A groan filled the air, "I broke at least two ribs diving to the floor," Tim groaned as he slowly sat up with a hand on his ribs, frowning when he saw Natalia and Calleigh with Robert, who was unconscious and visibly injured. "Alexx, please, do something!" Natalia spoke anxiously, tears filling her eyes.

Pain shot through Jesse's ribs and leg as he sat up and frowned at the scene before him, "Call 9-1-1!" Calleigh called out as Rick shakily got up. "We've got several injured…Detective Caine's the worst."

Rick frowned and quickly called 9-1-1 before throwing his phone at Eric and bolting towards the bathroom to throw up due to lowering blood sugar. As he neared the bathroom, he slipped on some glass and hit the floor hard. Walter hurried over to him, but Rick shakily got up covered in blood and glass, "I…I'm fine," he spoke shakily, his legs shaking uncontrollably as he walked. "Bobby…"

Eric stayed on the phone as he got up and frowned when he realized that both Speedle and Jesse were also injured and that Stetler seemed to be struggling to walk straight, "Put a rush on it!" he shouted into the phone as the operator said there were ambulances on the way. "There's at least four injured!"

Sirens filled the air and Walter instinctively grabbed hold of Stetler and guided him over to a bench, "Sit before you fall again," he spoke in a stern voice. "Eric, how are Speedle and Jesse?"

Eric, who had gone to check on Speed and Jesse sighed, "They're conscious, but in a lot of pain," he replied in a concerned voice. "Someone should call H. He needs to know we were hit!"

* * *

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	9. Graduation Day: Part 2 - April 2007

**_Las Vegas Nevada_**

"Lenny?"

Lenny, who had been sequestered in Catherine's office all day with his schoolbags and books after speaking with police, looked up from his book and saw Morgan standing there with a takeout box, "I ordered food for you," she said kindly.

"I'm not hungry," Lenny replied softly. "Do you know if my sister was found?"

Morgan shook her head, "Lindsey's really social," Lenny spoke softly, his expression worried. "Ever since we found out we have different dads, she's done her best to be rude to me at school and home. She treats me like I'm trash, as does her friends."

"Does your mom know?" Morgan asked softly, frowning. "She could help."

Lenny sighed, "She tells Lindsey to stop when she sees it," he replied softly.

Morgan nodded, "Is my dad coming to help find Lindsey?" Lenny asked in a concerned voice. "My mom called him earlier and says he hasn't called back."

"I can check," Morgan replied as she set the box on the couch. "Here."

Once Morgan was gone, Lenny set his book down and left the office to find a bathroom because he felt enough anxiety to throw up. He could hear loud talking and machines working, but he kept going until he suddenly heard his mother's voice.

"...So that's why Rick never called back," his mother said. "The Crime Lab was shot up and he got hurt. I thought he would have been on a plane already…"

Lenny froze in his tracks, "We've got everyone we can out searching for Lindsey and we can't find any trace of her except the phone call," Morgan's voice spoke gently. "Lenny told us everything he saw and the direction that the limo went…"

"I'm so glad he's the strong one right now," Catherine's voice spoke softly. "He's so quiet and strong and I'm glad I can count on him to be when I'm just a mess…"

Swallowing hard, Lenny turned and walked outside. He knew he wasn't strong and he knew that Lindsey might not be in danger now if he had agreed to get in the limo that morning.

"...Archie's just gotten the call recording, but has anyone thought about checking the location where Ryan and Sofia were held?" Morgan asked quietly. "She might be there."

Catherine sighed, "There's no evidence to suggest that…" she said in a quiet voice.

_If I can find my sister, maybe my mom will be happy again. _Lenny thought as he silently turned and made his way to the exit. He had heard about the whole case on the news and from his time in Vegas, he knew where things were and that the location Morgan referred to wasn't that far from the lab. He could reasonably help Lindsey and then maybe, just maybe, things would get better between them at school and home.

Hoping that his efforts would help, Lenny went outside and began to walk.

* * *

_**Manhattan, New York**_

"You didn't like the attention, did you?" Stella asked in a concerned voice as she brought two glasses of juice over to the table where she and Horatio were sitting for John's graduation party at the Plaza. "When the media was taking photos and video?"

Horatio sighed softly, "The day wasn't about me and since I put in the request for John to receive those awards, my chief and NYPD thought it would be best that I be present to give them," he replied softly. "I'm glad that it's over and I can…"

Horatio's phone suddenly went off and he answered it, "Horatio," he said quietly.

There was anxious talking and Horatio's eyes went wide with horror as he listened to Calleigh tell him that the lab had been shot up and Jesse, Speed, Rick, and Robert had all been injured, but that Robert had been shot in the spine, "I..I'll be back to Miami as soon as I can get on a plane," he spoke in a shocked voice. "Keep me posted."

Stella frowned as Horatio ended the call and pocketed the phone, "The lab was shot up and several people, including Bobby, were injured," Horatio explained in a somber voice. "I know I said we'd have time together, but I need to get back right away."

"Did you want to talk to Mac?" Stella asked. "Maybe he can help with that."

Horatio nodded and allowed Stella to walk him over to the tables where Mac was mingling, "Mac, Horatio needs a favor," Stella spoke softly. "It's an emergency."

Mac frowned, but said nothing, "My Crime Lab was attacked and several people were injured, including the nephew I raised," Horatio explained. "I need to get back."

Appalled, Mac looked around for Flack and found him over at the buffet tables with Danny. He motioned for Flack to come talk to him, but Danny followed.

"Don, Lieutenant Caine just got a call from Miami that the Crime Lab was shot up and Detective Caine was shot in the back," Mac explained softly. "Could you…?"

Flack paled, "My best friend…" he stammered. "Could I what, Mac? Go down?"

"If that's what you want to do," Mac replied quietly. "I can call and arrange for Lieutenant Caine to take a police chopper, but I need someone to drive him there."

Flack nodded, "While it's being arranged, I'll need to run home and grab a few things," he spoke in an anxious voice. "Natalia will need help with the kids…"

"Is Detective Caine going to pull through?" Danny asked. "I asked Flack for his email…"

Horatio suddenly felt nauseous and promptly excused himself to throw up, prompting Stella to quietly go after him without attracting attention. Fortunately, only a few people saw them leave and only John Boscorelli looked concerned, but he was too busy eating and talking to others to be able to chase after them for information.

Mac sighed, "Is there anything we can do to help Miami?" Danny asked softly, filled with anxiety and regret that he hadn't patched things up with Robert at Christmas.

Just then, Horatio and Stella came back and went over to where the Boscorelli-Sullivan family was sitting. There was quiet talking and Mac watched as Bosco said a few things before standing up and quietly excusing himself. John got up and made his way over to where Mac, Danny, and Flack were standing.

"Um, can I help at all?" John asked softly. "I…I know the situation, but…"

Mac sighed, "As much as I know you care about Detective Caine and his family, you can't go running down to Miami right now because we don't know how long Detective Caine will be out of commission and the hearings for your experience with Lieutenant Caine are next month," he replied calmly. "I know you wanna help."

Danny suddenly sighed, "I know how you can help," he spoke quietly, praying that Lindsay would forgive him for his impulsiveness later. "I'll go down to Miami and help out at their lab if they'll have me and you can be a big help to Lindsay by looking after Lucy when she's at work if you want. That would be a big help."

Mac looked surprised and Danny looked at him, "Mac, I know I screwed up big time by blaming Detective Caine for what happened that day and I never got the chance to apologize before this happened," Danny replied softly. "I should really do this."

"All right," Mac replied as Horatio came over to them. "I'm lending Danny to you."

Horatio raised his eyebrows quizzically, "I'm gonna come work in your team for a few weeks until your people heal up," Danny spoke quietly. "Do you mind?"

"I.…" Horatio spoke as Lindsey came over to them. "You should ask your wife."

Danny quietly whispered in Lindsay's ear and Lindsay looked surprised, but nodded at the expression on Danny's face, "It's fine," Lindsay spoke quietly. "It really is."

As Mac got on the phone to arrange the chopper and time off for Danny and Flack, they didn't notice that John had gone back to his table to find where his father was.

* * *

Retching sounds filled the air as Bosco lost the contents of his stomach in the alley next to the Plaza Hotel. The minute that Horatio had mentioned the incident in Miami, all of the memories of his own rape, hostage situation, and the loss of Maritza hit him.

"Maurice?" a concerned, familiar voice suddenly called out. "Where are you?"

Bosco sank to his knees, exhausted from vomiting, "Maurice…" a worried voice spoke as he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. "Honey, are you okay?"

"I want to help LaRusso, but even the thought of going back to Miami makes me ill," Bosco managed to say in a quiet voice. "I relieved everything in my mind…"

Danielle sighed and helped Bosco stand up, "It never fully goes away," she replied in a quiet voice as she faced him. "I've been through trauma and I get how you feel."

"I'm very grateful for you," Bosco spoke softly. "You're my everything."

Danielle gave Bosco a hug, "I'm calling your precinct and saying that in all the excitement, you started exhibiting flu-like symptoms and my expertise as a paramedic recommends you stay home from work and rest tonight," she spoke in a calm voice.

"We…we should go and finish the party," Bosco spoke softly. "I'm just a bit tired."

Danielle sighed softly, "We can go back inside if you want, but I think you're partied out and just trying to be strong for John," she replied softly. "You don't need to be."

Bosco shrugged, but didn't protest simply going back to the lobby and he promptly sat on one of the couches once they got inside. Danielle silently sat next to him.

As they sat there, they noticed Grissom and Brass suddenly leave the hotel with their carry-on bags in tow. Not long after that, Stella and Horatio exited the hotel with Flack and Danny at their heels, "Don Flack's probably going," Bosco spoke softly. "I know that he and LaRusso have been best friends forever. Not sure where Messer…"

"Mom, Dad, why'd you leave?" John asked as he suddenly came over to them.

Bosco sighed, "I had some flashbacks and threw up in the alley," he replied softly.

"I could tell Grandpa Sully to wind the party down and we all go home," John replied.

Bosco frowned, but John sighed, "I'm getting tired anyway," John said quietly.

Before Bosco could argue, John made his way back into the ballroom and found that his grandfather was sitting with Yelina, Ray, Nicolas, Ty, Carlos, Holly, and Kim while Caira sat at the next table with David, Ellie, Mikey, and Emily. "Um, Grandpa, how much longer is this thing gonna last?" John asked quietly.

Sully frowned, "John probably wants to go spend time with his girl," Ty commented, an amused grin on his face. "He graduated today and he's now a man!"

Ignoring Ty's comment, Sully got up and moved away from the table, "Look, Dad had a panic thing when Lieutenant Caine brought up the attack in Miami cause it made him remember," John spoke quietly. "He doesn't want attention brought to it."

"Things are starting to wind down anyway, but I can push it," Sully replied softly. "I already arranged for us to take the leftovers home so we'll be okay for food for a bit."

John nodded and walked over to the next table, "John, what's going on?" Caira asked, her eyes narrowing at how busy things had suddenly become. "What's wrong?"

"Ellie, let's go get more snacks before they take it away," David said eagerly.

Ellie nodded and helped David take the stroller with Mikey and Emily over to the food table, "Something's happened," Caira spoke quietly. "You're being all quiet."

"I…I don't wanna burden you with my problems or my family's problems," John replied as he sat down at the table. "You're great, but you've been through a lot…"

Caira gave John a look, "Your family is the first family I've actually fit in fully with," she replied in a quiet voice. "DB's great, but his wife and kids hate Colin and I."

John looked confused, but Caira kissed him on the cheek, "Please, let me help you help your family," Caira spoke softly. "I love them and they feel like my family."

"All right," John replied softly, sighing. "Let me explain everything."

* * *

_**Miami, Florida**_

It had only been two hours since the shooting, but a lot had happened in that time.

Once Speed, Jesse, Rick, and Robert had been taken away by ambulances, Calleigh had taken charge at the lab and had set Eric and Walter to work processing the scene while she and a uniform had taken a walk around the building to see if anyone or anything had been left outside. During their walk, they had found bullets, magazines, tire treads, and a body in the midst of the mess. That had complicated matters. Natalia had given her statement and was now at the hospital while the kids were at Anthony and Rosa Speedle's, as they were all still being homeschooled for the rest of the year.

Quickly reassigning Walter to outside, Calleigh had hurried to the hospital to see if Ryan, who had gone to be checked for injuries, Emily, or any of those minorly injured were available to work. She also needed to collect everyone's clothes as evidence.

"...No, I don't feel that great, but I'm getting out of this hospital and getting on a plane to Vegas because my soon to be ex wife let my son run away!" Calleigh heard an angry voice shout as she entered the emergency room. "I'm sorry that Bobby is in surgery, but there's absolutely nothing I can do about it right now. LET ME UP!"

Calleigh quickly followed the voice and was shocked to find an infuriated Rick sitting on a gurney in blue scrubs and a sweater sporting a bandage on his head and bandages on his hands as well as an IV. Tripp, Dr. Stokes, a nervous looking Jessop, and Emily were all there, "What's all the yelling?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"I got a call on my cell about an hour ago that Lenny ran away from the Crime Lab when Catherine assured me he would be fine there," Rick replied irritably. "I need to get on a plane to Vegas right _now_ and find my son. I just need a little help…"

Calleigh frowned, "Your son is missing too?" she asked softly. "How…?"

"Lenny ran away when nobody was watching him," Rick replied with a sigh, wincing as he slowly got off the bed, revealing that he had bare feet. "Can I get shoes?"

Tripp sighed, "My badge is with my things and has ID in it," Rick said quietly.

Emily nodded, "Emily, where's Tim?" Calleigh asked in a concerned voice.

"Tim's resting in a quiet room with pain meds for his broken ribs," Emily replied quietly. "He was very upset over the shooting and just needed time to himself."

Calleigh nodded, "Jesse and Detective Caine are in surgery," Emily explained softly.

It was then that Calleigh noticed that a box filled with bagged clothes sat at Emily's feet along with several smaller bags filled with nail files and other small objects, "I…I got here first and Tim wouldn't let anyone else process him, so I just did what I could to process everyone," Emily spoke quietly. "I used whatever I could get a hold of since I don't have a kit of my own. Horatio lent me one so that I could qualify…"

Calleigh looked surprised, but felt very grateful because it had saved her several hours of work when they were short-handed, "Look, I know the lab is a crime scene, but I would appreciate my badge and ID," Rick spoke firmly. "I need them to fly."

"All right," Calleigh replied softly. "Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't…"

Emily quickly retrieved Rick's badge and ID from the box and Calleigh opened it, handing Rick the items carefully, "You're about my size," Dr. Stokes said as she quickly took off her shoes. "They're not comfy, but they'll get you on the plane."

Tripp watched in admiration as Dr. Stokes helped Rick step into her shoes, "Frank, why don't you take Sergeant Stetler to the airport?" she suggested softly. "I'm sure y'all have some sort of way to get him to Vegas faster than a normal plane."

Rick nodded and murmured a thank you, wincing as Dr. Stokes removed the IV from his hand and quickly bandaged it. Once Frank had helped Rick out the door, Calleigh sighed and Jessop picked the box up, "Did Ryan and Alexx come here?" she asked.

"They're in the staff lounge," Emily spoke softly. "They're pretty shaken up."

Calleigh nodded, "Jessop, can you run the box back to the lab, please?" she asked in a concerned voice. "Eric and Walter are there and should be able to help you with it."

"What can I do?" Emily asked softly as Jessop left with the box. "Can I help?"

Calleigh looked relieved, "Can you help me talk to everyone?" she asked in a concerned voice. "It was a shift change for techs when it happened, so the only ones in the building were us. With so many injured, we're a little short on help…"

"I can do that," Emily replied in a calm voice, determined to do what she could.

* * *

**_Miami-Dade International Airport_**

Thanks to Tripp's sirens and fast talking over the radio, Rick quickly found himself on the tarmac at the airport where a police chopper was being prepped. He was tired and his ribs hurt, but seeing his son was more important and he would have to manage.

"You sure you're all right to fly?" Tripp asked in a concerned voice as they sat in the car, waiting for the pilot to come tell them. "You look tired and shaken up."

Rick scoffed as another police chopper, labeled NYPD, suddenly landed not too far away. Once the propellers stopped, Horatio, Flack, and Danny all got out with carry-on suitcases. Horatio noticed Frank's car and hurried over to it.

"Rick, what are you doing out here?" Horatio asked. "I heard you were injured?"

Rick scoffed, "My son ran away," he replied weakly. "I'm going to Vegas."

Just then, the pilot came over and Rick pulled himself from the car with nothing but what he was wearing, his badge on his belt, and his ID in his pocket, "I..I don't know how Bobby is, but I know Natalia's over there," Rick spoke tiredly. "I have to go."

Without waiting for a reply, Rick followed the pilot to the chopper and shook with pain as he boarded with the pilot. As the chopper started up and took off, Horatio gave Frank a look, "He blew up at the hospital and Candace donated her shoes to him."

"What do you mean he blew up?" Horatio asked worriedly. "Did he go AMA?"

Frank nodded, "It's his kid, though," he replied. "I'd do the same thing."

Flack and Danny exchanged a look as they walked over to the car, "Are you the ride to the hospital?" Flack asked in a confused voice. "I'm here to help Bobby out."

"Frank, this is Detective Danny Messer from New York," Horatio cut in, knowing that Flack and Tripp already knew each other. "Danny will be helping in the lab for a bit."

Frank nodded, "Nice to know you," he replied. "Want a ride? Hop in."

* * *

_**Manhattan, New York**_

The phone rang again, but Danielle ignored it as she settled Bosco on the couch with a blanket. She had helped him get his uniform off and now that he was in a t-shirt and pajama pants, she had called in sick for him and was making him a super omelette, bacon, sausages, and hashbrowns, "Who is it?" Bosco asked worriedly.

"Ty Davis," Danielle replied, checking the caller ID. "I'm ignoring it."

Bosco sighed heavily, "People are probably wondering why I left the party before it was over," he spoke in a shaky voice. "If I told them that I was triggered…"

"If people have to be so nosy that they disregard your want for privacy, I can beat them up," Danielle replied smugly before sighing. "What happened to you in Miami was absolutely terrible and it's okay that you need lots of time to recover from it."

Bosco sighed, but didn't dispute the point, "I'm going to stuff you full of happy food and then put you to bed with some sleep tea," Danielle spoke softly. "All right?"

The door opened just then and Sully came in carrying bags filled with food from the party, "Hey," he said warmly. "We dropped off some of the food with Carlos…"

"It's fine," Danielle replied in a kind voice. "They need it just as much as we do."

As Sully went to put the food away in the kitchen, Yelina, Caira, and John came in with David, Ellie, Michael, Emily, Ray, and Nicolas. John was carrying a bag full of surprise presents that people had dropped off at the table as they left the party.

"DADA!" Michael howled, reaching his arms out as he saw Bosco. "DADA!"

John quickly brought Michael and Emily over to Bosco and both Michael and Emily immediately calmed down, "You, sir, could use a nap," Bosco said, looking at Michael mock sternly. "How about we eat and then we go night-night?"

"Sweep," Michael whined, his face distraught as he rubbed his ears.

Sully sighed, "Michael got overstimulated from the noise," he replied softly.

Emily, meanwhile had snuggled against her dad and gone to sleep without a fuss, "I wonder if there's something more than hearing with him," Bosco spoke softly, sighing as Michael stood up and ran his hands on his face. "How's my Mikey?"

"Dad, can we watch a movie with you?" David asked. "Since you're sick?"

Bosco sighed, "If you can get these two down for a nap, sure," he replied quietly.

"Why does Mikey hate noise so much?" Ellie asked as she walked over to the couch.

Bosco shrugged, as he didn't know, but he was saved from having to answer when John and Caira came over, "We can put them to bed," Caira offered softly. "Please?"

Bosco shrugged and Caira took Emily to the nursery with David and Ellie at their heels because they liked Caira and wanted to help, "She knows everything and wants to help cause she loves you guys," John spoke softly. "She's so kind."

"Yeah?" Bosco replied, deeply impressed with Caira's kindness. "Good."

John picked up Michael and went off to the nursery, "A nap for Ray and Nicolas sounds like a good idea," Yelina spoke in a kind voice. "Come on, Ray."

Once Yelina had gone out of earshot with Ray and Nicolas, Sully looked at Bosco, "You were triggered by Lieutenant Caine talking about the attack on his Crime Lab, weren't you?" Sully asked quietly. "That's why you left right after…"

"I threw up in the alley outside the Plaza," Bosco replied softly. "A lot…"

Sully nodded, "Davis has called 12 times," Bosco commented. "I'm ignoring it. I don't need him psychoanalyzing me."

"I'll talk to Davis," Sully promised. "Did you call in sick to work?"

Danielle brought the food over to the table along with a glass of root beer, "I did," she replied in a calm voice. "Maurice, your comfort food is ready. I'll get my plate…"

Bosco slowly moved over to the table and Sully looked relieved, "Hey, Sully, I'm sorry," he spoke in a quiet voice. "If I could cure how it made me feel…"

"No, Bosco, don't apologize," Sully replied firmly. "Just…do you."

Danielle joined Bosco at the table with her own plate and root beer, prompting Sully to smile and peer at the stove, eager to eat whatever they had left on the stove.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

"..._The current conditions of Detective Speedle, Detective Cardoza, Sergeant Stetler, and Detective Caine are currently unknown_," a reporter said on the screen as the battered Miami-Dade Crime Lab was shown in the background. "_As you can see_…"

A gasp filled the room, "Detective Caine wasn't supposed to be there," a voice said.

Scoffing, McKeen turned away from the television in Ivan's house and saw that Valera had returned with a bag of stolen merchandise, "You're not still crushing on Bobby LaRusso, are you?" he asked in a smug voice, smirking. "Really, Valera?"

"I only helped Derek try to kidnap Adam because it would bring Bobby to me," Valera spoke in a shaking voice. "Natalia was an FBI mole who slept with half the men in the lab and took my opportunity away. That's why I did what I did…"

McKeen looked amused, "You'd fit in with the Noches quite well," he replied, giving a look to Ivan, who was sitting in a chair in the back of the room. "Ivan, where are the boys and the rest of them who participated? Still draining the kitchen of food?"

"They returned the weapons to the armory and then, yes," Ivan replied softly, a smirk on his face. "Need I remind you, Jeffrey, that there's still the matter of Andrea…?"

McKeen sighed, "All in good time, Ivan," he replied softly. "After a big hit like the one we and the Noches just did, we need time to recover and regroup."

"The Noches are under my thumb now because Riaz killed one of his men at the shooting," Ivan replied crossly, his expression sour. "He could have gotten us caught and I told Riaz to make himself scarce for his sin or else I would keel him."

McKeen nodded, "Where eez leetle Derek Stokes these days?" Ivan asked coldly.

"Oh, I heard through the society papers that he and Emily Yokas got married a few months ago and are living in Austin," Valera spoke up. "He's rehabilitated…"

McKeen looked amused, "That's cute," he replied coldly. "If you'll excuse me…"

Sighing heavily, McKeen left the room and sequestered himself in the private room that Ivan had given him. He had accomplished so much in such a short time, but he was getting tired and still had so much to do…so many people left to break.

Jessica Angell, Derek Stokes, Jill Adams, Emily Yokas…he would get them all.

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

As Sara, who had decided to see if the Crime Lab needed help while her husband was in New York, pulled into the Crime Lab parking lot, she saw a cab pull up in front of the doors. She quickly got out and was surprised to see a battered looking, bandaged Rick Stetler get out of the cab with a rolling carry-on suitcase.

"Uh, Sergeant Stetler, hi," Sara spoke in a worried voice. "What are you…"

Rick sighed irritably, but calmed when he saw Sara, "Lindsey was kidnapped by Sam Braun several hours ago and Lenny ran away just a few hours ago," he explained in a shaky voice. "I was hurt when the Miami Crime Lab was attacked, but I had to come."

Sara frowned, speechless as she followed Rick inside and watched as he slowly made his way to Catherine's office, "Rick?" Catherine spoke in a stunned voice, her eyes wide as she saw her husband standing there. "I heard there was an attack…"

"Where's that idiot supervisor of yours?" Rick asked shortly, his patience gone.

Catherine sighed, "Grissom?" she replied softly. "In his office, but I…"

Rick sighed irritably as Grissom suddenly came out of an office and down the hall, "_You_," Rick hissed irritably. "Are the most incompetent, irresponsible, son of a…"

Grissom froze and Catherine came out of her office, prompting Sara to retreat to the break room. There, she found Brass quietly enjoying a cup of coffee.

"I thought you and Grissom were in New York?" Sara asked quizzically.

Brass sighed, "We came back when Catherine phoned about Lenny," he replied in a tired voice. "She had everyone else looking for Lindsey and that got out…"

Sara nodded, "Rick Stetler just showed up," she spoke softly. "Battered…"

Brass flinched, got up, and hurried out into the hallway, "…Did you ever actually love me, Catherine Willows?" Rick was saying coldly. "Or was it the fact that I made money and Eddie didn't that you made me think that Lindsey was my daughter?"

"Eddie didn't want attachments," Catherine hissed angrily, glaring at Rick.

Rick scoffed, "And yet, you seem to favor Eddie's daughter over the son that you and I share," he replied coldly. "I get emails from Lenny…he gets bullied by Lindsey and her friends at that preppy, piece of crap school that Sam Braun is paying for…"

Grissom's eyes widened, Catherine looked appalled, but Rick scoffed, "Once the kids are found, you can have Lindsey, but Lenny is MY son and I am not leaving him in your care another moment!" he snapped. "I'll have my lawyer get papers if…"

"Can we get back to the case, please?" Grissom interrupted. "Update me on that."

It was beginning to get cold, Lenny thought as he entered the industrial area and looked around at the buildings. He saw lights in a building that looked abandoned and decided to start there; if anything, those lights might be where Lindsey was.

* * *

"...What do we do now, boss?" a voice said anxiously. "The city's up in arms…"

Lenny crept around the building to the back, figuring that Sam and the bad guys were in the front. He found that the back door was unguarded and so he snuck inside, being very careful not to make noise. It didn't take long for him to see who he came for.

"Lindsey?" Lenny whispered in a quiet voice. "Lindsey, hey…"

Lindsey, who had spent several hours sitting on a mess of crates after being locked in the back by Sam, frowned, "How'd you get here?" she asked softly. "What about…?"

"Shut up and come with me," Lenny hissed coldly. "The back door's unlocked."

Lindsey gave Lenny a look as doors in the front opened, "Sam Braun," an angry voice hissed. "My name is Clavo Cruz and McKeen sent me from Miami…"

Lenny's eyes widened and he grabbed Lindsey's arm, knowing she wouldn't scream as he dragged her outside, "Grandpa Sam's not gonna hurt me," Lindsey hissed.

A shot suddenly rang out and Lenny dragged Lindsey out of the industrial area, ignoring the fact that she was trying to pull away, "What are you doing, Lenny?!" she asked in an angry voice, glaring at him. "Grandpa Sam was gonna take me home!"

"He's a liar and a cheat," Lenny hissed anxiously. "Mom's freaking out cause you went with him and the cops are looking everywhere for you. You're that important."

Lindsey frowned, "How did you even get here?" she asked in a confused voice.

"I can walk you back," Lenny replied anxiously. "The Crime Lab isn't far."

The sound of engines and shouting could suddenly be heard and before Lindsey could stop him, Lenny grabbed her hand again and began to run as fast as he could.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

Anxiety filled Natalia as she paced the waiting room, waiting for news on Robert after he had been rushed into surgery. He had been dropping her at work when the shooting started and he had used himself to protect her…he had risked himself…for her.

Natalia had, of course, called the kids at Speedles and had explained what had happened, promising them to keep them updated with the truth because they were old enough to hear it. Since then, she had continued her pacing and her worrying.

"Natalia?"

Natalia stopped and was surprised to see Horatio, Tripp, Flack, and Danny come into the waiting room, "I…I know I'm supposed to be working, Horatio, but I can't bring myself to do it," she stammered anxiously. "I…Bobby shielded me from the…"

Horatio silently hugged Natalia as she began to cry, as they were both facing the same issue, "You…you don't have to worry about working for a while," he finally managed to say. "Detective Messer from New York came down to help lighten the load…"

Natalia exhaled anxiously and nodded, noticing Flack as she pulled away, "I'm going to help you with the kids so you can be with Bobby," Flack explained quietly.

"Thank you," Natalia spoke anxiously, gasping when Alexx suddenly came into the room. "Alexx, I thought you were at the lab? What are you doing here?"

Alexx sighed, "The nightshift took the post of the body we found outside," she explained in a quiet voice. "Calleigh, Walter, and Delko are busy at the lab and I was here with Ryan, but he got someone to take him home. I thought I'd check on Bobby."

Natalia looked concerned and Alexx sighed, "From what I can gather, he's out of surgery and they're getting him settled in the SICU," Alexx explained softly. "The past scarring did create a bit of blood loss in surgery, so they want to just get his volume up to a safe level before they put him in a room."

"How bad is he, Alexx?" Horatio managed to ask, his tone quiet and sad.

Alexx exhaled softly, "He took a bullet in his lumbar artery and that's been repaired, but he also took damage to his internal organs," she explained. "He's got a colostomy and at least temporarily paralysis. He's breathing on his own, fortunately…"

Flack couldn't take it and sank on to a couch, stunned and Tripp sighed heavily at the prospect of losing a good partner, "I talked the on-duty staff into letting you and Horatio in if you wanted to see him in SICU," Alexx spoke softly.

Natalia nodded, as did Horatio and they both quietly followed Alexx to the SICU, which wasn't far from the waiting room. A uniform lingered outside the door, not saying a word as the three went into the SICU. Robert was laying on a gurney near the door surrounded by tubes, IV's, and machines, but he was breathing on his own.

Swallowing hard, Natalia approached the bed and gently kissed Robert's forehead, prompting Robert to stir weakly, "Mmm…Talia," he managed to say groggily as he struggled to open his eyes. "I wanna hold you and kiss you, but I'm so sleepy."

"Just sleep," Natalia replied softly. "You can kiss me when you're more awake."

Horatio sighed anxiously, "Natalia…" he spoke softly. "How can I help?"

"You..you're back, Uncle?" Robert's groggy voice asked. "Talia needs rest…"

Horatio raised an eyebrow, "I can go and come back for the night after I see the kids," Natalia spoke anxiously, desperately needing a break to cry and collect thoughts.

Nodding, Horatio took a seat beside the bed while Natalia left, "Hey, pal," he spoke in a soft voice as he took Robert's hand in his own. "Just stay strong and fight."

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"Mommy!"

The sound of Lindsey's voice prompted Catherine to bolt from her office and Grissom, Rick, Sara, and Brass joined her just as Lenny dragged Lindsey through the doors of the Crime Lab, "Mommy!" Lindsey said, running into Catherine's arms.

Catherine held Lindsey, but was shocked when Lenny didn't come to her and looked uneasy, "Len, where were you?" Rick asked softly. "You…you found your sister."

Lenny didn't say a word, as Lindsey had cussed him out the entire run back to the lab and he didn't know why she hated him so much, "Lenny, honey, I can call the others back now and get someone to process you both," Catherine said, reaching for him.

Swallowing hard, Lenny pulled away and began rubbing his wrists nervously, "Can you not touch me, please?" he asked softly. "Call whoever, but don't touch me."

Rick, however, reached out and rolled up Lenny's sleeves, revealing razor-like cuts on Lenny's wrists, "You call _this_ observant parenting, Cat?" he asked sharply.

"Rick, Catherine is a great parent," Grissom spoke up. "If you were here…"

Rick swore loudly, "For a supervisor and esteemed entomologist, you're pretty ignorant about the people you claim as your family," he replied in an irritated voice, glaring daggers at Grissom and Catherine. "She got Sam Braun to beat me up and send me back to Miami because she thought I was incompetent. I can't believe that you didn't notice or care about that. You were a crap boss in the past…just like now."

"Just because you and Warrick didn't get along…" Grissom began, clearly upset.

Rick scowled, "You favored Warrick even though he broke every rule in the book and you let him bully LVPD into drumming me out of the lab," he spoke in an angry tone, his voice starting to shake because of tiredness, pain, and low blood sugar.

"Can you three just cool it?" Sara interrupted. "Everyone needs to be recalled."

Grissom sighed irritably, "I don't have time to be dealing with your crap, Rick," he replied in an irritated voice. "I have to recall everyone, get someone to process these kids, send my apologies to New York for not staying, phone Miami to see what Victims Assistance can do down there, and prep for the trial in New York in May."

Sara suddenly felt sad as she realized that Grissom hadn't mentioned his work at the lab or spending time with her or the children. What were his priorities right now? Did his future plans even include her or the kids at all?

"Lenny isn't going to be processed by_ you_ or your_ idiots_," Rick hissed coldly.

Brass sighed and quickly got between Rick and Grissom, "Rick, why don't you stay with me for a few days so you can rest and get the custody thing sorted out?" he suggested calmly, giving his friend a pleading look. "I've got a big house…"

"I want to stay with Dad," Lenny spoke anxiously, fighting not to cry as he rolled down his sleeves. "I _hate_ Butterfield and I hate living here. I wanna live with Dad."

Catherine looked hurt, but she sighed and nodded, "Fine," she replied softly.

"I should get back to my kids," Sara spoke numbly. "I hope everything will be okay."

Grissom and Catherine led Lindsey off to be processed and Sara promptly went outside, too hurt to even chase after Grissom. Brass gently shepherded Rick and Lenny out to his car, not saying anything as he loaded the car and then took off.

Once they arrived at Brass's house, Lenny secluded himself on the couch with his schoolbag to cry and process what had happened. Brass sat Rick at the kitchen table and immediately began making food, as he could tell that Rick's blood sugar was low. He knew, from their emails, that Rick was now a diabetic and his irritability meant his sugar was low.

"It'll all be okay, Rick," Brass spoke softly. "Everything…everything will be fine."

Numb from all the happenings of the day, all Rick Stetler could do was sigh.

* * *

Please read and review!


	10. Doors of Life - April 2007

**_One Week Later_**

**_Austin, Texas_**

"...You must be out of your mind if you think I'll be accepting their terms," Emily heard an upset voice speak as she came into the house with grocery bags. "Tell their lawyer thanks, but we want to go to court and prove that we are fit for Jessica…"

A scoff filled the air, followed by a beep, "Derek?" Emily called out anxiously.

Derek sighed as he came into view, "Hey there, babe," he spoke in a tired voice as he took some of the bags from Emily. "My family's lawyer called and said Greg and Jenny want to offer supervised visitation in Vegas if we take parenting classes…"

Emily frowned, "What, they think like my mom?" she asked bitterly. "My mom wouldn't even let me visit Alex unless I went back to rehab. I was clean…"

"Your mom sounds like a real drag," Derek hissed coldly. "That sucks."

Emily sighed, "I love you and I love being here with you, but I miss Alex," she replied in a quiet, somber voice. "I'd do anything to get him back."

Derek gave her a look, "Would you help me get my daughter back?" he asked in an intrigued voice. "We communicate through lawyers, so I have no idea where…"

"Wouldn't your brother in Vegas know?" Emily asked softly. "Nick, right?"

Derek shrugged, "He didn't come to the wedding cause he's always wrapped up with work," he replied softly, a pouty expression on his face. "Neither did Candace."

"I'm sorry," Emily replied softly. "Can I do anything to help?"

Derek nodded, a gleam in his eye, "I can help you get your son back if you help me with my daughter," he said quietly. "It could take some time to hire some help to go find Nick and get the truth out of him, but if you help me…I'll take you to Alex."

"Alex is your son," Emily replied softly. "I'd love for you to meet him, but the only help I know is this cop named McKeen. I helped him beat up this nosy lady…"

Derek looked amused at the mention of McKeen, "I have this card he gave me, but I don't know if he'd talk to me since I left before we could get after John Boscorelli for abandoning our friendship," Emily spoke softly. "He and I were friends, but he moved on to this chick from Vegas and they're very close. He left me alone with my pain…"

"Maybe McKeen will be nice," Derek replied gently, smirking. "Just call him."

Emily nodded and got the card out of her pocket after setting the groceries on a table, sighing as she went over to the phone. She dialed McKeen's number and waited.

Within seconds, McKeen answered and Emily began to speak before she lost courage.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

"_...Another body was found this morning in Calle Ocho in the market park_," a voice spoke over the TV that was blaring in the room where Detective Caine was now recuperating after spending two days in SICU and the other five in the ICU.

Robert slept, his battered body kept pain free and at rest through meds, blood bags, and fluids, but Natalia was awake and feeling guilty. She had spent the last week caring for BJ, Maggie, and Adam when they weren't at school and being at the hospital with her husband when they were. She was doing her best, but she felt guilty.

During that same week, a different body had been found in Calle Ocho each night and Horatio had been putting Calleigh, Eric, Walter, Alexx, and Danny through their paces as they struggled to solve this latest string of killings. The MDPD was stretched thin and Natalia was very tempted to ask Flack for more help so she could return to work. Flack usually stayed at night or when she and Horatio couldn't be there.

Ryan hadn't returned to the building since the shooting and Natalia completely understood why he hadn't. The shooting had traumatized everyone and although Jesse and Speed were out of the hospital, they were now at their homes recovering and working on protecting themselves and anyone who was near and dear to them.

The image of Calleigh and Danny working at the scene suddenly appeared on the screen and Natalia turned the TV off, "…Talia?" a groggy voice suddenly spoke.

Natalia turned towards the bed and smiled when she saw Robert awake, "Hi," he spoke in a groggy voice. "It's good to see you, but you look so tired…"

"I've had rest," Natalia replied as she kissed Robert's face. "How do you feel?"

Robert sighed weakly, "I vaguely heard people say they got the bullet out, but it did damage to my lumbar artery and insides," he replied softly. "I'll be here a month?"

Natalia nodded and sighed, "I'm in it for the long haul, babe," she spoke softly. "I know you might worry I'll leave, but I made a promise when we got married…"

"I never had doubts," Robert replied softly. "You're a very tough chick."

Natalia leaned over the bed and kissed Robert on the lips, relieved when he weakly returned the kiss, "I wish we could do more," Robert spoke in a weak voice. "Soon."

A knocking sound filled the air, "We interrupting something?" a drawl asked.

Robert and Natalia looked over at the door, surprised and pleased to see Tripp and Flack at the door, bags in both of their hands, "Hi," Robert spoke weakly.

"How you feeling, buddy?" Flack spoke in a kind voice. "I brought you smoothies."

Robert exhaled softly, "Better check with my doctor to see if I'm actually allowed to down them yet," he spoke weakly. "Frank, I'm assuming you want a statement?"

"If you're feeling up to it, yeah," Frank replied softly. "Are you?"

Robert sighed weakly, "No and I also heard someone died…" he spoke softly.

"It wasn't anyone we know," Tripp replied calmly. "It was a Mala Noche."

Natalia suddenly yawned, "Talia, go home and sleep," Robert spoke weakly. "Please? I'm pretty sure Donnie came all the way from New York to help."

"Okay," Natalia replied softly, kissing his face. "I'll be back when school's out."

Once Natalia was gone, Flack sat on the couch and Tripp sat near the bed, "All right, Bobby, tell me what you can remember about the shooting," he said softly.

* * *

**_Las Vegas, Nevada_**

"...No, Rick is staying with Brass and I took Lenny's things over there a few days ago," Grissom heard Catherine say in a quiet voice. "They'll leave when Rick is better…"

Sighing, Grissom came into the conference room and saw that Catherine, Nick, Greg, Sara, Ray, Morgan, Hodges, Henry, and a few other lab techs were in the room, "I'm glad you all were able to drop what you were doing and come in for a meeting…"

Greg sighed and Nick merely looked annoyed, as he had left Parker with a babysitter for the night and he was anxious to get the unfamiliar presence away from his son, "I've decided to move on from CSI and go into victims advocacy and teaching full-time," Grissom announced softly, his expression neutral. "I've already arranged with Ecklie for Catherine to become supervisor and for Hodges to get his Level 1."

Catherine sighed, as she had been told in confidence about what was going to happen and she now felt relief that Lenny was going to be with his father so she would have one less thing to worry about, "You're quitting?" Sara asked softly, frowning.

"I thought I discussed it with you," Grissom replied, realizing that he actually hadn't.

Exchanging a look, Nick and Greg quickly hightailed it out of the room and Catherine, Ray, Hodges, Henry, and the other techs followed. Grissom sat next to Sara.

Sara shook her head, "My heart's just not with this job anymore," Grissom said softly.

"Is your heart with your family or just this other work?" Sara asked softly.

Grissom frowned, "I had tea and conversation with Lady Heather and she helped me realize that I need to follow my passion, which is why I'm leaving," he replied softly. "I dived into the sciences after I lost Greg and I let it rule my life for so long…"

"Lady Heather?" Sara asked coldly, frowning. "Don't you _dare_ blame Greg for you going to Lady Heather for advice when you and I are supposed to be married…"

Grissom sighed, but said nothing, "You haven't been emotionally faithful or open with me in at least six months," Sara spoke coldly. "Do you love me anymore? I haven't seen you spend a lot of time with the kids either in the last six months and even when Ryan was in charge of the students, you ran roughshot over him…"

"Ryan had OCD and struggled with the simplest of instructions, so I had to constantly make sure he wasn't going to screw something up," Grissom replied. "Maybe if he had calmed down and been less overzealous, he and Sofia wouldn't have ended up…"

Sara scoffed, "That was _not_ Ryan's fault and he was a good CSI," she replied in an upset voice, glaring daggers at her husband. "CSI's are only as good as their supervisor and _you_ are the reason he took off out of here without any notice."

"Look, I don't have time to argue all day with you," Grissom replied in a cross voice as he stepped back. "I'm going to be travelling all over the country to check on people utilizing the Victims Assistance system and I'm also going to be teaching…"

As Grissom stormed out, Sara gazed at the table, her grief over his decision very deep.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

_It appeared they had stumbled on a family dinner_, Darin thought as he and James entered the place that William and Victoria Adams owned and saw Jill sitting with an older man and woman in one of the restaurants. _It would be an easy robbery after all._

Valera and Dan were usually the ones to do the robberies for supplies, as they used to work in the Crime Lab and they could work quickly, but James and Darin had found themselves tired of being lackeys. They wanted to prove they were capable of more.

"...Where is that husband of yours, Jillian?" William asked coldly as the waitstaff left to fill their orders. "I did say that I wanted both of you to come to lunch today."

Jill sighed, "Tony's still in school and he's helping his class cater the Convocation banquet today," she explained softly. "It'll help him be able to graduate next year."

"And you're still working on being a cop?" William asked quietly. "Even after…"

Jill nodded, "I graduated yesterday from the Criminal Justice program and I might do a Master's in something that will allow me to stay home and care for this baby when it's born," she replied softly, rubbing her stomach. "Besides, I'm not sure what law enforcement agency would hire me after Grissom threw me out of the project. I admit I got a little carried away asking questions, but they gave others a chance…"

"Grissom was an idiot and I'm very glad Ryan Wolfe was able to help Conrad Ecklie give you credit work despite that," William replied softly. "You're a good girl and when the baby is born, put Tony as the father. You were raped and you don't need to live with the shame of that forever by putting 'Unknown father' on that paper."

Jill nodded and frowned as she spotted James and Darin pull weapons out, "Dad," she spoke anxiously, frowning. "There are guys with guns in the lobby…"

William frowned, got up, and quickly got Jill and his wife out of their seats before ushering them into the kitchen, "Stay here with the staff and call 9-1-1," he spoke softly, his expression worried. "See if you can get a hold of your friend…"

"Daddy, James and Darin are crazy," Jill breathed anxiously. "They'll kill…"

The sound of gunfire suddenly filled the air, followed by screaming. William swore and hurried his family through the kitchen and out the back door, "Where did such young boys get such terrible weapons?" he breathed anxiously, out of breath.

Victoria quickly got her phone out of her pocket and dialled 9-1-1 as William ushered them over to a van he kept in the back for emergencies, "Get in and shut up," he hissed as he opened the back. "Jill, please see if you can contact Mister…"

Sounds of shattering glass permeated out of the kitchen and William quickly got behind the wheel once Jill and Victoria were inside with the door closed. As James and Darin came outside, he started the engine and floored it off down the road.

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

"...Yes, Emily, I'll help you," McKeen spoke in a soft voice as he sat in a chair within the room he had rented with cash. "I just have business to take care of first."

The call ended and McKeen sighed before pocketing his phone and getting up, "You're late," he spoke in a cold voice into the shadow. "For someone who wants to help pop off his ex-wife, you're awfully tardy. What, did you stop for a pizza?"

Ivan scoffed as he came out of the shadows, "Cannolis," he replied coldly.

McKeen sighed, "You should know your ex's schedule by now," he spoke impatiently.

"Yeah," Ivan replied irritably. "After we get this done, can we order a pizza?"

McKeen swore and pointed to the door before grabbing a handgun off of his desk that he had bought from a pawn shop just the day before, "Let's get this done," he hissed.

Ivan produced a piece he had brought with him on his boat and pocketed it again before he followed McKeen out of the room and down the street. They passed several shuttered shops and a diner, but McKeen suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"What's the hold up?" Ivan asked crossly. "Did you suddenly get hungry?"

McKeen, however, silently watched as John served tea to people he recognized as Adam Ross and Lindsay Monroe with a baby in a carrier, "After all that, he's a useless waiter?" he whispered coldly.

Ivan frowned as McKeen took his gun out of his jacket, "Dude, we can't," Ivan said.

The sight of a police car prompted McKeen to duck into a nearby alley and Ivan followed, "Emily's problem was with John Boscorelli," McKeen hissed. "That little punk humiliated me _twice_ and I'd love nothing better than to pop him off…"

"We gotta find Andrea and that Angell chick," Ivan hissed. "Save the bullets."

McKeen glared at Ivan, "The hearings over the Horatio Caine kidnapping begin next month and John Boscorelli is the reason Horatio is not dead," he hissed coldly.

"Yeah, but Monroe-Messer's a cop," Ivan reasoned softly. "We only have so many…"

McKeen scoffed, "I can't stop you, but if we attack Boscorelli in broad daylight, we won't get anything else done," Ivan reasoned. "We should come back at night."

"And if he's not here?" McKeen asked coldly. "Should I kill you instead?"

Ivan sighed, "Just wait unti ze dark," he replied softly. "It's safer…"

Scoffing, McKeen nodded and reluctantly continued following after Ivan until they reached a tall apartment building, "I cloned her key," Ivan smirked. "Stalking."

McKeen smirked and allowed Ivan to take him to the apartment, but he was confused when he found it empty, "We must wait," Ivan said calmly. "She and her guard…"

"Wait, Angell is her guard?" McKeen reasoned. "So we'll just hide out here?"

Ivan shrugged and McKeen sighed, realizing that he had no other choice but to wait.

* * *

**_Las Vegas, Nevada_**

_Grissom must have gone to bed. _Sara thought as she came into the house and found it quiet. Betty had recently moved into the house next door and so it was just the two of them with the twins most of the time. Between day-care and friends, it had worked.

After the argument at the lab, Sara had left and had driven around the city, making stops at the grocery store and park before finally coming home, hoping to talk it out.

As Sara went into the kitchen, however, she found a note sitting on the dishwasher counter.

_Sara,_

_I had my mom come over and watch the kids because I wasn't sure what time you'd get home. I'm not sure where my head is at these days, but it's clear that we've grown apart and need space from each other. I'll be on the road quite a bit doing advocacy and teaching work, so I thought it best to take my stuff and live out of suitcases…_

Tears filled Sara's eyes as she hurried to the nursery and found Betty sitting in the rocking chair while Gregory and Danielle slept in their cribs, "Grissom left," Sara spoke and signed in an upset voice, her expression upset. "Why?"

"I don't know, but he said he couldn't stay and needed to go do what he was passionate about doing," Betty mouthed as she signed back. "I'm so sorry, Sara."

Sara nodded and Betty got up, "I have to teach, but I can visit later," Betty signed.

Shrugging, Sara waited until Betty had left the house before she got on the phone and began phoning people she knew would help her. She didn't know what she needed at that moment except for comfort and she knew that her former colleagues could help.

Once a text with a brief explanation had been sent to her group of friends, Sara silently went to the master bedroom. All of Grissom's things were gone and the closet was completely devoid of his clothes. It was as if he had never been there at all.

Brass's cell phone buzzed as he led Rick and Lenny to the gate after helping them get through security quickly with his badge. As Rick talked to the gate agent and checked himself and Lenny in, Brass checked his phone and sighed at seeing Sara's text.

"What's wrong?" Rick asked, looking at him. "Catherine throwing a fit?"

Brass shook his head, "Sara just sent a group text that her husband left her and I'm going to go over there as soon as you and Lenny are on the plane," he spoke in a quiet voice. "I'm not surprised, to be honest. They've been fighting a lot lately."

Rick nodded, his expression tired, "I know how she must feel," he replied softly. "If you think she needs someone to talk to, you can give her my email address. I know a thing or two about handing being screwed over by a spouse."

"You and your son are all ready to go, sir," the flight clerk said cheerily.

Sighing heavily, Rick nodded and took his bag from Brass, "Thanks for your help in all of this, Jim," he spoke softly. "I'll call when we get back to Miami…"

Nodding, Brass watched as Rick led Lenny through the gate before turning and quickly returning to his car. He used his siren to quickly get through the traffic on the route to Sara's and was unsurprised to find Nick and Greg already there.

Brass sighed as he got out and approached the door, "Hello?!" he called out.

The door opened and Brass entered, surprised to see Sara, Nick, and Greg sitting in the living room with no sight of the kids, "Hi," he spoke quietly. "Are you okay?"

"Grissom left and took his things," Sara replied numbly. "I thought we were enough."

Greg sighed heavily, "I'm sorry, Sara," he spoke softly. "I can't believe he left…"

"Are you okay for money and stuff?" Nick asked in a concerned voice.

Sara shrugged, "I'm honestly not sure," she admitted quietly. "I hope so, but I'm a little worried about you two being in the same space without wanting to fight…"

"We're here to help a friend," Nick replied calmly. "Don't worry about us."

Nodding in agreement, Jim took a seat to listen to what Sara needed help with.

* * *

_**Miami, Florida**_

Blood and bodies of staff who hadn't been able to get away decorated the new hotel and casino and Natalia couldn't help but feel horrified as she watched Calleigh, Eric, Tim, Danny, Walter, and Jesse process the scene while uniforms stood by.

"Natalia…"

Natalia turned to see Horatio standing there looking worried, "I'm sorry to call you away from the limited personal time you have before the boys get out of school, but I need Victims Assistance on hand for this," Horatio replied softly.

It was then that Natalia noticed that Horatio looked pained, "I'm also recusing myself from the case because I know the daughter of the owners and I already consulted with the chief and the department psychologist," he said softly. "They agreed it would be best given the circumstances behind how I know her. Speed will be lead on this."

Just then, Tim walked over to them, "Tony just texted me and said that he's here, but Ryan's also here," he replied softly. "Ryan's talking to the girl and her parents…"

Horatio frowned, "Ryan is?" he asked quietly. "Did Ryan re-join the department?"

"No, the girl called him," Tim replied calmly. "I was about to go ask what was up."

Horatio nodded and watched Tim walk over to where Ryan was talking with Jill and her parents, "Jill Adams was one of the people involved in my abduction and torture and although we aren't prohibited from communicating, I admit I find myself uncomfortable with the idea of doing so even on a case," he admitted softly.

"The chief has no idea, does he?" Natalia asked softly. "You only told Emily."

Horatio sighed, a guilty expression on his face as Tim returned, "Uniforms pulled the Adamses over as they were fleeing the shooting," Tim spoke anxiously. "Jill recognized the shooters as James Scott and Darin Mitchell. Do those names…?"

"More of those who were involved in my abduction and torture, Speed," Horatio replied in a somber voice. "I would like you and Natalia to oversee helping Ryan and the Adamses. I can't be involved with them or any of this. I'll be back at the lab."

A look of understanding crossed Tim's face and he went back to where Ryan was, prompting Natalia to follow. Horatio quietly went to his Hummer and got his phone out, "Doctor Speedle, I'd like a session," he spoke in a quiet voice. "Right away."

Unknown to Horatio, Jill had noticed him and was watching with a mixed expression of guilt and concern on her face. She wanted to make amends with Horatio for helping put him through purgatory, but she also knew that he wanted nothing to do with her.

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

The trial was soon and Dr. Pride felt heavy as she followed Detective Angell down the hallway to the apartment that they would share until the trial. They had gone to the court for a walkthrough on what the trial would involve, as Dr. Pride had never been through that sort of thing before; she had divorced Ivan through a private law firm.

Angell frowned when Dr. Pride suddenly stopped just short of the door, "Someone's inside," Dr. Pride spoke anxiously. "I can hear talking and breathing in there…"

An uneasy expression crossed Angell's face and she drew her weapon before unlocking the door, "Stay here" she whispered anxiously before kicking the door in.

Shouting filled the air and Dr. Pride swore as Ivan suddenly tore out into the hallway without stopping to look at her. She also heard a loud clanging sound.

"NYPD, I found Ivan Sarnoff and Jeffrey McKeen in my apartment!" Angell yelled.

Dr. Pride shakily entered the apartment and found that while the bedroom doors were still locked, there was a mess on the carpet and in the kitchen. Angell was holding her radio, a radio she had worn since moving in with Dr. Pride in case there were issues.

"We can't stay here," Angell explained anxiously. "This is now a crime scene…"

Dr. Pride nodded, "Where's McKeen?" she asked worriedly. "I just saw Ivan."

"Down the fire escape," Angell replied as she ushered her out of the apartment. "We'll go wait for the CSI's to get here and then go to a hotel. We're not safe here…"

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

"Horatio, we need to talk," the voice of Chief Burton filled Horatio's ears as he made his way through the lab and to Emily's office for a session. "I got a call…"

Horatio, however, continued walking, "Let me guess, someone from the scene called and said I left?" he asked calmly. "If you remember, I am allowed to request a therapy session with Counseling Services whenever I need it as part of my recovery."

Chief Burton stopped and Horatio turned to face him, "The owners of the hotel that got shot up are the parents of someone who was involved in my abduction and torture," Horatio spoke coldly. "It also turns out that the shooters were also involved…"

"I…I didn't know," Chief Burton apologized. "Do you or your nephew need…?"

Horatio sighed, "Detective Flack is with Bobby right now and I am going to talk with Doctor Speedle," he replied softly. "I left Speed in charge of the investigation."

"All right," Chief Burton replied. "If you need to go home after your session…"

Horatio nodded and continued to Emily's office, relieved when she was already there and waiting with tea, "Hi," he spoke softly, closing the door as he entered. "I…I showed up at the scene and found that the owners were the parents of Jill Adams, a girl who was involved in my torture. I…I don't know how to feel about that…"

"I don't know Jill well, but she did marry my brother-in-law a few months ago," Emily spoke in a concerned voice. "Would you feel more comfortable with…?"

Horatio shook his head, "I trust you," he replied softly. "Please remain my counselor."

Emily nodded, "The shooters were identified by Miss Adams as Darin Mitchell and James Scott," Horatio spoke softly. "Those two took an active hand in my torture and also tried to murder Greg Sanders at the same time. Jill Adams was also involved, but she gave evidence against the higher-ups involved and was allowed to resume her schooling after a debriefing, but it appears that Ryan managed to get her to Miami…"

"Ryan?" Emily replied in a confused voice, frowning. "How did Ryan…?"

Horatio sighed, "I don't know, but Ryan showed up at the scene at Jill's request," he replied in a confused voice. "I had no idea that Ryan was doing that kind of work…"

"Neither did I," Emily admitted softly. "Maybe that's why McKeen took him."

Horatio nodded, his expression glum, "I need to get Ryan back into the MDPD, then, for his own safety," he spoke worriedly. "I did make the offer to him before…"

Emily nodded, but said nothing, "I…I also need to come to terms about my nephew being injured, I guess," Horatio replied softly. "I…I worry about him a lot. The doctors aren't sure if he'll walk again and that could end his policing career…"

The mood in the room sobered considerably as Horatio began to talk about his injured nephew, but Emily patiently listened simply because she knew he needed to talk.

* * *

Nearly two hours later, Horatio left the office feeling considerably better after sharing his thoughts and concerns about Ryan, the situation at the scene, and the upcoming trial in New York. He knew he would need to find Ryan and talk about him coming back to the lab even if it was part-time, as it was still too dangerous for him to be doing police work on his own even if Gil Grissom had asked him to do it.

As Horatio left the offices area, however, he spotted Rick chatting with Jesse while Lenny sat quietly on a row of chairs, "Rick?" he asked quietly. "What's up?"

"I just got back from Vegas with custody of my son," Rick replied in a stern voice, giving Horatio a look. "Is Doctor Speedle available? Lenny wants to see her."

Horatio nodded and Lenny silently got up, not speaking as he wandered back to the offices, "Everyone else is still at the scene, I take it," Horatio spoke firmly.

"I'm doing work for an underground organization that isn't Victims Assistance, but has a similar mandate," Jesse replied quietly. "If you're going to ask about Ryan, I have no idea what he was doing. Natalia doesn't know either and she's co-head…"

Horatio frowned, "Natalia doesn't know?" he asked in a confused voice.

Jesse shook his head and footsteps suddenly prompted Horatio to turn. He was mystified to see Calleigh lingering outside of one of the interview rooms.

"Calleigh," Horatio spoke quietly as he approached her and saw that she was watching Ryan talk with William, Victoria, and Jill in the interview room.

Calleigh sighed, "Jill trusts Ryan, as do her parents," she spoke softly.

Nodding, Horatio entered the interview room, realizing that he had no choice but to face Jill personally, "Hi, Horatio," Ryan spoke softly. "I guess you want me to explain."

"Is this why you and Sofia were taken?" Horatio asked. "You protected Jill?"

Ryan sighed anxiously, "After I spoke against McKeen to the police, I was beaten by some of his associates and I went to Ryan for help," Jill spoke up in a concerned voice, her expression fearful. "He paid for my parents and I to come here and start over…"

Horatio nodded, unsure of what to say, "James Scott and Darin Mitchell saw me and started shooting," Jill continued anxiously. "My father got us away in an old van…"

"Ryan, can I see you in the hall for a moment?" Horatio asked quietly. "Please?"

Ryan got up and followed Horatio into the hallway, "If you're going to say refer them to Grissom, I don't trust that Grissom would handle it right," Ryan spoke firmly.

"I was actually going to offer another invitation for you to come back to the lab so you have protection from future attacks," Horatio replied in a calm voice. "What happened to you, Sofia, and John Boscorelli happened because Gil Grissom was a poor supervisor and he'll have to live with that forever, but you don't have to."

Ryan sighed, "I'm not sure everyone would welcome me back," he replied softly.

"I don't want you to worry about that," Horatio replied firmly. "Please?"

Ryan looked reluctant, but nodded, "Good," Horatio replied in a calm voice.

* * *

Manhattan, New York

The hotel suite was large, but in a safe part of New York and Dr. Pride sighed heavily as she watched Detective Angell and Mac talk quietly near the door. CSI's and police were over at the apartment and both McKeen and Ivan were still very much on the loose, so they were stuck for now. Suddenly, Mac motioned for her to join them.

"I'm not under arrest, am I?" Dr. Pride asked nervously as she joined them.

Mac shook his head, "No, but you and Detective Angell will be here for the time being until we get some idea of where McKeen and Sarnoff are," he replied softly. "I'll have uniforms in the hotel and everything in and out will be screened."

Angell and Dr. Pride exchanged a look, but they knew that Mac was doing all he could to ensure their safety. They would have to make the best of things for now.

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

"Miss Simms, I'm _waiting_," McKeen hissed into the phone as he sat at his laptop in his temporary apartment on a chat with Derek Stokes and Emily Yokas. "You worked for the Crime Lab after Stokes relocated and I need his new address _immediately_."

Wendy Simms, who had quietly left Vegas after Sofia's funeral, quietly shared the information she had gotten from the lab directory before she had been terminated for her proven participation in the incident. McKeen set the phone down and typed the address to Derek, "Your work has been most helpful," he finally said coldly.

"You said you'd get me Hodges if I did this," Wendy replied in a pleading voice.

McKeen sighed, "I'll talk to my contacts," he lied, having no intention of actually helping Wendy any further now that he didn't need her. "I'll be in touch."

Before Wendy could reply, McKeen ended the call and continued chatting with Derek online even though he couldn't care less about any of them. Ivan was still out on the streets and the police were now hunting them both, so it would be a lot harder to return to the diner where John Boscorelli worked. However, McKeen still wanted to do it.

* * *

Please read and review!


	11. Breaking Points

**_One Week Later_**

**_Miami, Florida_**

He thought it had just been exhaustion and the stress of everything that had happened over the last few months. He had lost weight, been increasingly tired, and short of breath at the oddest of times. Even though he had decided to leave CSI after the symptoms persisted even after his suspension, the symptoms hadn't gone away and he hadn't wanted to burden Sara. He had lied about why he needed to go to Miami and had gone; it was a warm place that would give him peace if he needed it. He also knew that Nick's sister was there and was one of the best doctors in the country.

After renting an apartment in Miami, Grissom had composed an email to Sara with the truth of why he left. He had apologized for leaving the way he did, but he hadn't wanted to burden her with his own issues if he was sick. He had sent the email and had gone about getting himself to a doctor. Sara's reply had been fast and quiet; she had expressed concern for him and offered to get leave to come see him.

Grissom, however, didn't want his old colleagues knowing so he had asked her to wait until he knew for sure. He had also briefly admitted his fear of being seen as weak and about overburdening her. Sara had yet to reply, but it was obvious she still cared.

With those thoughts on his mind, Grissom had prepared himself for the worst, but expected it to be nothing he couldn't handle. The news he ended up getting, however, wasn't good; he had lymphoma that was treatable with surgery and chemotherapy.

Unable to lie to Sara, Grissom had emailed her the results and had made the necessary arrangements to receive treatment in Miami. If he had returned to Vegas for treatment, his old colleagues would find out and he would attract unwanted scrutiny. Sara, on the other hand, would keep his secrets and respect his need for privacy as she always had.

The sound of the hospital intercom suddenly brought Grissom back to reality and he found himself gazing at the door to the Oncology department with uncertainty.

* * *

**_Las Vegas, Nevada_**

"Sara, I need a favor," Nick spoke as he held the phone to his ear while watching Parker pick what clothes he wanted to wear the next day. "Jenny's mom is in town and she and her kids are visiting with her tonight, so I need someone to watch Parker overnight. He's in afternoon kindergarten, so I can get him after my shift…"

Sara sighed, "_As long as you bring him over here, I can_," she replied quietly.

"I can drop him off on my way in," Nick replied. "How are you doing?"

Nick suddenly heard cooing, "_Gregory and Danielle keep me pretty busy_," Sara replied in a quiet voice. "_I'll get them to bed now so I can focus on Parker_…"

A buzz suddenly filled the apartment and Nick sighed, setting the phone down so he could see who was at the door, "Nicky…" a cold voice suddenly spoke over the intercom.

Nick froze, recognizing the voice as Derek's. He silently moved back into the room and guided Parker into the closet, "I want you to sit in here and be quiet as a mouse while Daddy answers the door," he spoke softly. "I'm going to lock the door."

Parker recognized the fear in Nick's voice and nodded solemnly before sitting down and being quiet. Nick grabbed the phone, closed the door, and set the phone in the kitchen, forgetting that Sara was still on the line and listening in.

As Nick reached the front door, he pressed the buzzer that unlocked it and opened it to find Derek and an anxious looking Emily on the porch, "Hey there, Derek," Nick spoke in a calm voice. "I was just getting ready to head out for work…"

Derek looked amused before pulling a knife out of his jeans, "Nicky, where's Jenny and my daughter at?" he asked coldly as he pointed the knife at Nick. "You know."

Nick swallowed hard, "Derek, man, I gotta get to work," he stammered anxiously, wondering if Derek was playing games with him. "Is your sugar low?"

Derek, however, shoved his way into the house and slammed Nick up against the wall, "WHERE ARE JENNY AND MY DAUGHTER, NICKY?!" he roared angrily, ignoring Nick's whimper of pain. "Emily, search the house. He's lying."

Shaking, as she didn't expect Derek to show such intense anger towards Nick, Emily hurried into the house. Nick tried to look at where she was going, but Derek grabbed his hair and smushed his face into the wall, "They went on vacation to Miami for a week or so," Nick lied shakily. "There's…there's money in the microwave drawer…"

Derek turned to look at Emily briefly and Nick pushed Derek off of him, but Derek was too strong and promptly stabbed Nick in the abdomen before throwing him against the bookcase against the opposite wall. Nick hit the wall hard and a few books fell around him fell to the floor as he dropped to the carpet, now unconscious and bleeding from a gash on his head and his nose. Derek swore and picked Nick's unconscious form up off the floor, "Emily?!" he called out anxiously.

Emily came into view carrying a stack of money and a wallet, "There's enough for fuel and stuff," she spoke in an anxious voice. "Should we check…?"

"Nah, we gotta go," Derek replied anxiously. "We're taking a passenger…"

Emily's eyes widened at the blood, but she nodded and followed Derek out the door as he carried the bleeding Nick to his rental. Derek laid Nick in the back seat of the rental, "We need to go!" Derek replied anxiously. "Where's that dollar store crap?!"

Emily threw the wallet and money on Derek's seat and then grabbed one of the bags that was filled with items they had gotten at a dollar store on the way. Derek got into the back, "You have to drive," he said anxiously. "You wanna go get Alex instead of wasting time trying to find Jessica? Nick's lying, but I can't break him…"

Nodding, Emily got behind the wheel and waited until the vehicle was closed up before she took off down the street towards one of the roads that would lead to the highway. Derek silently rummaged through the bags and quickly found first-aid supplies and a sewing kit inside along with other supplies.

Cursing their inability to plan better, Derek got into the first aid kit and used alcohol wipes to clean Nick's wound before he carefully removed the knife. He then threaded the needle and used the sewing kit to patch Nick's wound with careful stitches.

Back at the apartment, Parker had managed to unlock the bedroom door and went over to the phone, "DADDY!" he screamed, seeing all the blood and the open door.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

"You're looking better," Horatio spoke in a calm voice as he entered his nephew's hospital room and saw that Robert was awake and eating. "How are you feeling?"

"I've gotten by blood volume back up, but I still can't feel my legs," Robert replied in a quiet, concerned voice. "The house has an elevator if the paralysis is permanent…"

"You cannot give up hope, Bobby," Horatio spoke in a concerned voice as he walked over to the bed and sat in the chair by the bed. "I know it doesn't seem likely, but there's always a chance that you will regain the use of your legs. Even if you don't, however, you still have a career. When I get back from New York, I'm going to put in a request with the chief that you come work at CSI once you're able to do it."

Robert sighed and Horatio gently touched his arm, "I got a letter in the mail this morning and made Natalia swear not to tell you," Robert spoke quietly. "MDPD can't grant me prolonged paid medical leave due to budget constraints and if I can't get back to work by fall in some capacity, I'll be let go from the department."

Horatio frowned, "Well, I'll put in the transfer paperwork with the chief before I go to New York, but you have to promise that you'll do your best to recover," he replied.

Robert nodded and exhaled weakly, "Donnie's also running out of sick leave and will have to go back soon," he explained quietly. "He wants to stay longer, but then it will turn into unpaid leave and I know he has bills. NYPD doesn't pay that much…"

Horatio nodded, "Detective Messer visited last night and offered to stay on too, but I worry he's not getting paid and he has a family," Robert spoke worriedly.

"I personally put Detective Messer on the payroll," Horatio replied reassuringly. "Natalia gave him one of the apartments owned by Victims Assistance to use."

Robert nodded, "I wish I could be there for you when you have to testify," he replied in a concerned voice. "I know you'll be staying with Stella, but I still worry…"

Horatio nodded, his expression thoughtful as his nephew expressed his concerns about the trial in New York. Truthfully, he too was scared about how that would go for him.

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

Anxiety filled Sara's heart as she hurried into the Crime Lab after asking Betty to babysit Danielle and Gregory for her. She had heard the struggle involving Nick, Derek, and a girl named Emily on the phone and had called the police when Parker had begun screaming for his dad. The police had gone to Nick's immediately and had rescued the terrified Parker before telling CSI to get to the scene.

She was still reeling from the news that Grissom was in cancer treatment and Nick's violent disappearance was already making her want to take the kids and go be with Grissom in Miami. Since she was listed as Nick's emergency contact, however, she couldn't leave; perhaps she could after Nick was found safe and recovering.

"Sara!"

Sara turned towards the sound just in time to see Catherine hurrying towards her looking worried, "Thanks for coming in," Catherine spoke worriedly. "Ray, Morgan, and Hodges are over at Nick's with a bunch of uniforms, but Parker's here…"

Nodding, Sara followed Catherine into the break room, shocked and relieved to see that Parker was sitting on the couch with a blanket and street clothes covering his little body. He looked scared and his face was red from tear-stains.

"Parker?" Sara asked quietly, gazing at him. "Catherine called me and…"

Parker launched himself off the couch and clung to Sara's legs, "Archie's gotten a hold of the phone call between you and Nick that happened before Nick was abducted," Catherine spoke quietly. "Parker, do you know where you were?"

"Daddy put me in his closet and locked the door," Parker spoke softly as he gazed up at Catherine. "The door was broken so I could get out, but there was noise…"

Catherine nodded and Parker yawned, "I'm sleepy," Parker spoke softly.

Sara nodded, "Catherine, Parker needs to sleep," she spoke worriedly.

"Do you have a place for him to sleep at your house?" Catherine replied calmly.

Sara nodded, "The couch goes into a hideabed and I can take it while Parker takes the bed," she replied quietly. "Did someone make sure Greg, Jenny, and the kids…?"

"As soon as we got word about what happened, I sent Brass over to the hotel," Catherine replied in a professional voice. "Lindsey's with my mom tonight."

Sara looked uneasy, "I heard Nick say that Jenny and Jessica were on vacation in Miami," she spoke in a concerned voice. "Derek knew he was lying…"

Parker yawned again and Sara quickly settled him on the couch, making sure he was completely under his blanket. As Parker drifted off, Catherine's phone rang.

Catherine quickly answered it, "_Brass is here_," Greg spoke sleepily. "_Is it true_?"

"Yes," Catherine replied quietly. "Are you and your family safe, Greg?"

A yawn filled the phone, "_Do I need to come into work_?" he asked groggily.

There was soft talking, "Maybe Sara should bring Nicky's boy over to the hotel for a bit of a sleepover," Brass spoke into the phone. "I sent a car over to her house too."

"I can come get him," Brass replied calmly. "You might need Sara there."

More quiet talking filled the phone, "Greg offered to come too," Brass said simply.

"We'll be waiting," Catherine replied in an anxious voice before hanging up.

* * *

Flack and Danny were now with Bobby, which meant Horatio could have a few hours to himself. Since it was evening, Natalia was at home with BJ, Maggie, and Adam and Horatio found himself exhausted. He had spent hours with his nephew, gently reassuring him that recovery was possible and that he didn't need to worry about it.

As Horatio stepped off the elevator into the lobby of the hospital, he saw Ryan coming into the hospital looking nervous, "Ryan?" Horatio called out quietly.

"Oh, hi H," Ryan replied quietly, sighing. "I…I'm just here for an appointment."

Horatio frowned, but Ryan caught on quickly, "Just to make sure that the cancer's still in remission," Ryan explained reassuringly. "This was the only time I could get in."

"Want some company?" Horatio offered. "You seem very nervous."

Ryan thought for a moment and then nodded, deeply relieved when Horatio followed him to the Oncology department, "Diana went to visit Jenny, so Tommy's watching the kids while I work and do this," he spoke in a tired voice. "How are you?"

"I'll be going to New York soon for the trial about my kidnapping, so you'll be reporting to Speed," Horatio spoke quietly. "How are you coping with being…?"

A loud retching suddenly filled the air, "…I sincerely apologize for that," a quiet, very familiar voice spoke. "I didn't think I'd be puking that soon afterwards…"

"Don't apologize, Doctor Grissom, it's normal to feel unwell after sessions," a kind, very familiar voice replied. "I don't usually work oncology anymore, but since you asked for me, I decided to help. You've been incredibly good to Nicky…"

Horatio's eyes narrowed and Ryan looked alarmed, but was spared from having to react as he was called in for his appointment. Horatio, however, felt sick inside.

All of them had condemned Grissom over recent events and here he was in Miami and sick. Horatio didn't know why Grissom had chosen Miami of all places…

"Lieutenant!"

Horatio turned away from his thoughts and saw that Dr. Stokes had come out of the chemo suite and spotted him, "Doctor Stokes, hello," he spoke in a quiet voice. "I was just walking Ryan to a checkup and I overheard Doctor Grissom…"

Dr. Stokes sighed, "Unfortunately, I can't explain without Doctor Grissom's permission because of confidentiality rules," she replied softly, her expression a patient one. "You're welcome to go ask him about it yourself if you'd like."

Thoughts of the struggles that Marisol and Emily had endured filled Horatio's heart and he found himself wondering if he should tell Emily and Natalia about Grissom. Sighing softly, Horatio silently entered the chemo suite and was surprised to see Grissom sitting in a chair with one arm resting on a line that was attached to a chemotherapy machine. He was wearing his glasses and using one hand to text a message on a Blackberry.

"I really am well enough to leave," Grissom said quietly without looking up. "You…"

Silence filled the air as Grissom looked up and suddenly paused at seeing Horatio standing there, a concerned expression on his face, "I…I didn't know," Horatio began.

"I didn't either and this felt like a safe enough place to check it out," Grissom replied in a patient voice as he finished his message and set his phone on the table beside the chair. "I knew Nick's sister was here and that she was a doctor, so I came."

It was then that Horatio noticed the small puddle of vomit on the floor, "Does Sara or anyone else know you're here?" he asked quietly. "This seems like an unusual…"

"Sara knows," Grissom replied quietly, sighing. "Doctor Stokes is overseeing my sessions with permission from the hospital. I'm staying in one of the units set aside for people needing the help of Victims Assistance. I just need to call a taxi."

Horatio raised an eyebrow, "People undergoing cancer treatment usually need someone staying with them," he replied worriedly. "Is there anyone you could…?"

"I wouldn't want to put anyone else in harm's way," Grissom replied in a cold voice as he sighed tiredly. "LVPD seems to think that I have a talent for doing that. I resigned so that I could focus more on truly helping people in need of it. It's not fair for those in Victims Assistance to expect my help and end up not getting it because I'm too busy with work or can't get away. Catherine's got my job now."

Horatio's eyes narrowed, but Dr. Stokes returned before he could say anything, "I wish I could talk you into staying the night and resting, Doctor Grissom, but Nick's told me how stubborn you are," she spoke kindly. "Just don't drive."

Nodding, Grissom waited until he was disconnected from the machine before getting up and Horatio found himself following Grissom out of the chemo suite. As Grissom's step slowed, Ryan came out of another office and paused at seeing Grissom nearby.

Horatio watched as Ryan quietly observed Grissom's slow steps to the elevator and waited before he was out of sight to turn away, "Is he sick?" Ryan asked quietly.

"He is," Horatio replied quietly. "I know you expected to never see him again…"

Ryan sighed heavily, "I don't know what to say," he replied in a distressed voice, feeling uneasy about it. "He's married and has kids. Why did he come here?"

"I'll drive you back to your brother's and explain what I know," Horatio replied softly, sighing when Ryan nodded. "I had a conversation with Grissom before he left."

* * *

_**Manhattan, New York**_

_Danielle, I need you to take overseeing Ellen's care for me. I've Fed-exed the necessary documents and they might get to you before this message does. I also listed Danny Messer and Greg Sanders as others who can make decisions if you absolutely cannot bring yourself to do it, but I hope you will choose to. – Grissom_

Danielle, who was taking advantage of a rare day off to spend time at home with her family, frowned as she looked over the documents and Grissom's text. He knew how uncomfortable she was with the idea of Ellen, yet he had staunchily arranged this paperwork to make her Ellen's guardian. Why had he ignored her wishes? He had respected her opinions in the past and had understood her boundaries, but now…

Setting the paperwork in the drawer on her side of the bed, Danielle grabbed the phone and dialled Grissom's number, "_Hello_?" Sara's voice suddenly spoke.

"Sara, is Grissom available?" Danielle asked, remembering from John's letters that Sara was Grissom's wife. "He sent me papers about taking over Ellen's care…"

There was a pause, "_Who is this_?" Sara asked cautiously. "_Is this about Nick_?"

"This is Danielle Boscorelli, Sara," Danielle replied. "What…what's this about Nick? Grissom gave me this number last time he was here and this is his phone…"

More silence filled the phone, "_Nick was kidnapped a couple of hours ago by his brother, Derek, and a girl named Emil_y," Sara replied quietly. "_Grissom resigned from CSI and went to Miami. I remember him talking about you…he trusts you a lot_."

"Emily, Emily Yokas?" Danielle replied, suddenly feeling very scared for Nick and enraged that Emily seemed to be aiding in a kidnapping. "Wait…Grissom quit CSI?"

Sara sighed weakly, "_He has Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and he went to Miami because a good doctor is there_," she explained shakily. "_Nick's son is with Greg and Jenny right now and I'm at the lab. Grissom gave me his phone when he left_…"

Danielle felt sick about everything she had just heard, "Sara, Gil may have told you we have a father-daughter type relationship," she finally spoke in as composed a voice as she could manage. "Would you feel comfortable giving me his contact information?"

Sara quietly obliged and then said she had to go, as the CSI's were back from Nick's with evidence. Danielle thanked her, ended the call, and quietly called Mac Taylor.

"_Taylor_," Mac's professional voice filled the phone. "_Who's this_?"

Danielle sighed, "It's Danielle Boscorelli," she replied in a quiet voice, her heart heavy over what she was about to say. "I just talked to Sara Sidle-Grissom in Las Vegas about a personal matter and she said that apparently, Nick Stokes was just abducted by Derek Stokes and a girl named Emily," Danielle spoke anxiously, sighing. "Last time I talked to Faith Yokas-Miller, she said her Emily had left the city…"

"And you think Emily Yokas is an accomplice in this kidnapping?" Mac replied.

Danielle sighed heavily, "Yes," she replied firmly. "Could you please look into it?"

"_Your husband is NYPD and you could always tell him_," Mac replied in a concerned voice. "_Is there any reason you're calling me directly instead of talking to him_?"

Just then, the door opened and Bosco came into the room in his uniform, having just gotten off work. Danielle turned the speaker on and put the phone in the cradle.

"Maurice just got home, Detective," Danielle explained. "Maurice, I just learned that an Emily helped Derek Stokes abduct Nick Stokes. I think it might be Emily Yokas because Faith said she left. Faith also told me Emily and Derek got married a few months ago in Austin; she and Charlie went to the wedding at the Stokes Ranch."

Bosco frowned, "Isn't Derek Stokes like 40 or older?" he asked sternly.

Danielle sighed and Bosco suddenly looked defeated, "I thought Emily was trying," he spoke in a pained voice as he removed his uniform and changed into sweats, socks, and a t-shirt. "Faith…Faith should know so she can protect Charlie and her grandkid."

"_I'll investigate this personally_," Mac promised. "_Thank you for letting me know_."

The call ended and Bosco sank on the bed, now very anxious, "I'll ask Carlos to walk John to and from work for the next few days," he spoke in a quiet voice. "I…"

Danielle paused as the front door opened and closed, "He's home," she spoke softly.

Bosco quickly got up and left the bedroom just in time to see David and Ellie sit down at the TV with Mikey and Emily while Yelina cooked dinner. Sully was seated in one of the chairs with Nicolas and a book in his lap. Caira was helping Yelina and Ray Jr's bedroom door was closed, a signal that he was doing homework and wanted privacy.

"John, you're not walking to and from the diner by yourself for the next few days," Bosco spoke in a firm voice. "I'll ask Carlos and if he can't do it, I'll get someone…"

John frowned, "What happened?" he asked in a confused, concerned voice.

"Uncle Nick was abducted, honey," Danielle replied softly. "By Derek Stokes and Emily Yokas. Nobody knows where they're going to go. They could come here…"

John nodded, looking uneasy, "Does Faith know?" Sully asked in a stern voice.

"Detective Taylor said he'd take care of it," Danielle replied anxiously.

John sighed irritably and went to his studio room in silence, needing to think and check his blood sugar before dinner, "He's scared," Caira spoke quietly, unsurprised that John was upset by this development. "Emily's obsessed with making him love her and I'm scared she'll do anything to hurt him."

Bosco quickly grabbed the phone, "That's exactly why I'm not letting him walk alone to work anymore and I'm asking for someone to go even if you walk with him," he replied in a worried voice as he dialled Carlos and Holly's number. "For safety."

* * *

_**Miami, Florida**_

"_Don, Nick Stokes was abducted from Las Vegas by Derek Stokes and Emily Yokas," Flack heard Mac's serious voice fill the phone_. "_LVPD is still investigating, but Sara Grissom gave this information to Danielle Boscorelli and I have to wonder if McKeen arranged this. We know that McKeen and Ivan Sarnoff are in New York_…"

Flack sighed as he turned to check on Robert and found that he was asleep while Danny sat in a chair beside the bed, quietly fiddling with his phone, "…Maybe McKeen and Ivan are plotting something against John just like they're plotting something against Doctor Pride and Detective Angell," Mac stated.

An uneasy feeling filled Flack's heart, but he kept quiet because he had discreetly communicated with Angell over where she and Dr. Pride were now staying with the few possessions Lindsay had gotten them from the apartment, "_I'm not altogether convinced that they will be safe even with each other_," Mac spoke quietly. "_I may need you to come back and you take charge of Doctor Pride's situation…"_

"And what about Bobby, Mac?" Flack asked quietly. "He needs protection too or did you not know about the attack on that hotel and the killing spree?"

Mac sighed, "_NYPD's annoyed that two of their officers are working in Miami and straining the budget_," he replied softly. "_I assume your friend expressed concern_…"

"Yeah, Bobby did," Flack replied quietly. "He's my best friend, though…"

A pause filled the phone as Flack watched Bobby wake and look at Danny before looking at him, "I'll talk to Bobby," Flack replied, upset that he might need to go.

Without waiting for Mac to say goodbye, Flack ended the call and pocketed the phone as he returned to the hospital room, "Donnie, if you have to go, you can," Robert spoke before Flack could speak. "I actually asked my doctor about home care today because I'm missing Natalia and the kids. He said he'd look into it for me."

Flack raised an eyebrow, "I can stick around til you get things worked out," Danny offered quietly, knowing Flack leaving would cause hardship to the Caines.

Exhaling softly, Robert shrugged and closed his eyes, "He took some pain meds when you were out in the hall," Danny explained quietly. "The random killings are stressing him out and he's mad he can't be of any help. His body's struggling too…"

Flack looked concerned and pulled Danny out in the hallway, "Old scarring's making healing difficult," Danny spoke quietly. "His doctor came while you were out and he'll eventually get better, but he won't be the same even if he can walk again."

"Mac needs me to get back," Flack spoke quietly. "I'm really sorry…"

Danny nodded, "Mac wouldn't ask if it wasn't important," he replied.

"I'll wait til tomorrow to make arrangements," Flack replied with a sigh.

* * *

It was evening and Ryan was exhausted, but he had to know for himself. He had to know more about Grissom's sickness and why he had chosen Miami of all places.

Since he himself was an agent for Victims Assistance, he knew what properties were vacant and which properties were filled because Grissom and Natalia were good about updating that information constantly. He had first gone home to get the information off his computer and then had borrowed Tommy's car since he didn't yet have one of his own to get around. Now, he was parked at the curb next to a small, beachside condo after stopping by the grocery store to get things that Grissom might need.

As much as he had tried to feel angry at Grissom daring to come to Miami, he couldn't because cancer was involved. He felt empathy for Grissom more than any other emotion once Horatio had confirmed that Grissom was sick, as cancer sucked.

Sofia would want him to move past the hate and anger that their situation had invited. It was one of the things that John Boscorelli had relayed to him in their quiet conversation days after the incident. Perhaps this kindness would let him move on.

Exhaling anxiously, Ryan gathered the supplies from the car and made his way to the front door. He silently knocked and frowned when he heard absolutely nothing inside.

"Whoever's at the door, I'm on the back deck," a tired voice suddenly spoke.

Ryan walked around to the back deck and was surprised to see Grissom sitting in a beach chair, wrapped in a blanket with a mug in one hand and a book in the other, "Hi," Grissom spoke in a quiet voice, his eyes widening in surprise as he saw Ryan.

"I…I brought you some stuff," Ryan spoke nervously, holding the bags out.

Grissom raised an eyebrow, "I appreciate that," he replied quietly, setting the book down on a table that was next to his chair. "You're looking a lot better, Ryan."

Ryan silently brought the bags over to the table, as he noticed that Grissom looked sick and tired, "I saw you leaving the hospital and Horatio said you were sick?" he asked in a concerned voice, frowning. "Were you able to get time off from work?"

"I resigned not long after my suspension," Grissom replied softly. "Sit down."

Ryan nodded and sat in the empty beach chair, "I started feeling unwell after everything that happened and I rested a lot during my suspension, but it didn't go away and I also felt like Victims Assistance needed my attention more than the lab," Grissom explained quietly. "I didn't feel like I'd be able to deal with my illness with dignity if I stayed in Vegas. I have been crucified over what happened last year."

"It wasn't your fault," Ryan spoke shakily. "I volunteered to lead the search for Horatio and I knew the risks. You tried to talk me out of it, but…I didn't listen."

Grissom sighed and Ryan exhaled anxiously, "Sofia was gonna die either way and at least John was there to comfort her," Ryan spoke shakily. "She…she wasn't alone."

Nodding, Grissom took a drink from his mug and Ryan sighed, "Sara…does she know you're here?" Ryan asked softly. "It must be hard being away from them…"

Grissom shrugged, as he didn't know what to say. He did miss Sara and their children, but he didn't want to burden them with his illness. Sara seemed to be doing fine from what she had said and he would go back once he was able; he had let her know that.

"Cancer's a rough thing," Ryan spoke quietly. "Are you talking to someone about it?"

Grissom looked amused, "I know your sister's a counselor, but your family isn't overly fond of me," he replied simply. "Not even Natalia knows I'm here. Horatio knows, but I don't think he'll go blabbing. I know a lot of people hate me right now."

Ryan frowned, "If you want someone to talk to, I'd recommend my sister because she herself has had cancer and is currently in remission," he replied. "Breast cancer."

Grissom again raised an eyebrow and Ryan got up, "Do you want me to put this stuff away for you?" Ryan asked quietly, hoping that Grissom would consider his words.

"The door's unlocked," Grissom replied quietly, returning to his book because he didn't have anymore strength for conversation.

Ryan nodded and went inside the house, keeping silent as he put the supplies away.

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

It was getting late, but everyone in the Crime Lab was fully awake and functioning. Ecklie had ordered all shifts to come on duty and help in trying to find Nick, Derek, and Emily Yokas. Greg, however, was simply getting ready to go serve as cover for the lab in case other cases came up. He had been kept off of Nick's case by Catherine and had been asked to cover since Tommy's hotel had tight security and Diana was there to help Jenny look after Jessica, Matthew, Parker, and herself during the night.

"Greg, are you ready yet?" Greg heard Jenny's quiet voice ask as he changed into clean clothes after showering. "Captain Brass is waiting…"

Greg sighed as the bathroom door opened and Jenny came in wearing a bathrobe over her sweats and tank top, "Greg, I hope you know that my feelings haven't changed even after this," Jenny spoke softly. "Derek reminds me of poor choices I made and Nick made his feelings for me clear, but I chose you. You are safe and I love you."

Tears filled Greg's eyes and he sighed tiredly, prompting Jenny to hug and kiss him, "I love you too," he spoke in a quiet voice. "I...I can't believe Nick lied to protect us from Derek. I thought he'd be angry enough at me to tell Derek where we were…"

Jenny gave him another hug, "I need to stop being a brat," Greg spoke quietly.

Sighing, Greg wandered out of the bathroom and Jenny followed just in time to see him get his shoes and coat. Brass suddenly came out of the living room looking grim.

"Highway Patrol just called," Brass spoke grimly. "Nick's truck was seen going out of state and is either headed to Utah or Arizona right now. The Feds are being notified."

* * *

**_Somewhere on I-80_**

"…_McKeen, I didn't know what else to do_," an angry voice filled the air. "_Nick was lying about where Jenny and that Sanders kid were, but I couldn't beat it out of him…"_

As Nick slowly came to, he felt a warm hand touch his face, "…_You need to tell Simms that her information about where Nick lived wasn't worth anything because I wasn't able to get my daughter!_" the voice snapped again. "_We're in Utah right now and we should be in New York in a couple days. I need your help with Nick…"_

Nick's vision blurred and as he blinked, the face of Emily Yokas greeting his corrected vision. The vehicle hit a bump and pain shot through Nick's body.

"Ugh," Nick groaned, his voice weak. "Wh..where am I? I feel sick."

Emily cringed, "We're somewhere in Utah, I think," she replied nervously, worried that Nick would be able to overpower her and stop them. "Derek's driving…"

Another surge of pain shot through Nick's body, followed by heavy nausea, "I'm gonna throw up," he whimpered, closing his eyes. "I need a bucket…"

Emily cringed and looked to the front, seeing that Derek was now off of the phone, "Derek, Nick says he's gonna puke," she spoke in a worried voice. "Should we…?"

"There's medicine in the bags somewhere," Derek replied in an annoyed voice, sighing softly to keep himself from losing his temper with Nick's weaknesses. "We need to find a pharmacy so I can get diabetes medicine. I need it."

Emily sighed anxiously, but rummaged through the bags and found some over-the-counter Tylenol and a bottle of juice. She force fed Nick two Tylenol and some juice and Nick sputtered, but weakly managed to swallow it.

"What are we supposed to do with Nick, Derek?" Emily asked anxiously.

Derek smirked as he watched Nick slip back into a sleep through the rearview mirror, "McKeen's going to call me back and let me know," he replied in a cold voice.

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

Ivan's belch filled the brownstone and McKeen's nose wrinkled in disgust as he came into the living room and saw Ivan downing a bottle of beer, "Disgusting," he hissed in a cold voice. "Ivan, Derek Stokes and Emily Yokas kidnapped Nick Stokes and they're on their way to New York. I didn't tell them to kidnap Nick Stokes!"

"Maybe Nick knew where Derek's girl and baby were and didn't tell?" Ivan replied in a slurred voice, gazing at McKeen through bloodshot eyes. "It's not a problem."

McKeen swore and Ivan exhaled, "There is no room for Nick Stokes in this plan!" he snapped angrily, his face filled with rage. "I told Derek that I'd help him get access to Alex Yokas and I also promised Emily that she could have John Boscorelli!"

"Threaten to kill him if Andrea and this Detective Angell keep trying to avoid me!" Ivan snapped, his voice slurring. "He can be used as bait to draw her out!"

McKeen looked amused, "And he can be used to get John Boscorelli and keep him in line," he hissed coldly. "John was so scared that I'd murder Sofia Wolfe and she died anyway, but he was also scared for Ryan. I also happen to know that John's mother and Stokes used to be a thing and if it means protecting Stokes, John will comply…"

Ivan smirked and returned to his booze while McKeen slipped into the room he had claimed for himself. They would need to go to the diner when John worked and get him out without trouble. After that it would be a matter of keeping him isolated and unharmed until Emily arrived.

* * *

"Mom?"

Danielle looked up from the book she was reading David and Ellie while Michael and Emily played with toys on the floor. John was standing there looking rather antsy.

"Can I go get the mail and check in on Uncle Carlos?" John asked quietly.

Danielle looked around and saw that her parents, Ray Jr., Caira, and Nicolas were now in their rooms and that Maurice was washing dishes, "Maurice, why don't you and John go down and get the mail?" she suggested gently. "And visit Carlos?"

"I want to talk to him anyway," Bosco replied calmly. "He didn't answer my call."

John sighed, but nodded because he knew his parents were quite firm about wanting him to be safe. Caira had gone to bed early because she too was worried about what was going on in Vegas, as she didn't know if her brother had been involved or not.

Bosco dried his hands and grabbed his keys before leaving the apartment with John at his heels. The two made their way down to the community mailbox on the first floor and then over to the nearby apartment where Carlos and his family lived.

"Carlos, are you home?" Bosco called out as he rapped on the door.

A door opened and closed, "No," a voice spoke quietly. "I'm not home."

Bosco and John turned to see Carlos standing there looking tired, "Hey," John said in a quiet, nervous voice. "Uncle Carlos, I figured you'd be home a lot earlier…"

"I froze up at the practical requal and failed, kiddo," Carlos spoke quietly.

John sighed and gently hugged Carlos, who accepted the hug without hesitation, but Bosco felt confused, "Requal?" Bosco asked in a confused voice, frowning.

"I took the tests to try and requalify for FDNY, but I froze during the practical part," Carlos spoke quietly. "I couldn't finish and the tester said to come back in September to try again. I tried…but those flashbacks kept haunting me."

Bosco sighed, "I actually wanted to ask you a favor," he replied quietly, shocked that Carlos was looking to go back to work so soon after his brain surgery. "If you…"

"What's the favor?" Carlos asked in a concerned voice. "Is it illegal?"

Bosco scoffed, "I just need you to walk John to and from that diner he works at for the next few days because it's safer that way," he replied calmly. "Can you do that?"

Carlos frowned, but nodded, "Yeah," he replied softly. "I can do that."

John looked relieved and Carlos offered him a smile before disappearing into the safety of his apartment. Bosco and John both sighed and headed back upstairs.

* * *

Morning came all too quickly and Bosco quickly learned that Mac had not only spoken with Vegas about Derek and Emily Yokas, he had also arranged for Faith, Charlie, Captain Miller, and Alex to move to a secure hotel for the next few days until the threat level went down. They were also getting plainclothes escorts everywhere.

"…_As of six a.m., Clark County has lost track of fugitives Derek and Emily Stokes as well as their hostage, Nicolas Stokes of the Las Vegas Crime Lab_," the voice of the news filled Bosco's ears, bringing him back to reality. "_The investigation is ongoing_."

Sighing, Bosco finished his mug of herbal tea and turned to face Danielle, who was sitting on the couch with John and Caira. As luck would have it, there was a PD day and so David and Ellie were sleeping in along with the overtired Michael and Emily.

"Ready to go to work?" Bosco asked calmly, eyeing John. "Got your bag?"

John nodded and got up, "Caira, did you wanna come too and have a breakfast date?" he asked in a kind voice, smiling. "Mom, you're welcome since Grandpa and…"

"Grandpa and Grandma are still asleep, as are Ray Junior and Nicolas, and I'm not going to deny them a nice rest," Danielle replied kindly. "I love you. Be safe."

Once hugs and kisses were exchanged, John and Caira silently went downstairs and got Carlos from his apartment before going outside. The walk to Christine's diner was short and once they got there, John went into the back to get clocked in while Caira and Carlos sat at a table, "Are you hungry, Mister Nieto?" Caira asked quietly.

"It's just Carlos," Carlos replied nervously. "Are you two going to be okay here?"

As Christine and John came out of the kitchen, both of them ready to work, the door opened and a figure wearing a trenchcoat, fedora, and sunglasses came inside.

"I'll take this new customer," John replied quietly, smiling at Christine.

Christine nodded and turned her attention to Carlos and Caira as John approached the new customer, "Welcome, sir," John spoke kindly. "Do you have a preference…?"

The man suddenly smirked and removed his sunglasses, revealing himself as Jeffrey McKeen. John swore and automatically stepped back, prompting Christine, Carlos, and Caira to look at them, "Well, well, well," McKeen spoke softly. "This is an adorable sight. Two murderers and the sister of a proven psychopath…"

"I didn't murder anyone and neither did Carlos," John hissed coldly, frowning.

McKeen gritted his teeth angrily and drew a gun from his pocket, his expression murderous as he stuck the gun in John's face, "Still haven't learned to control your mouth, I see," he replied coldly. "Emily Yokas sent me to collect you…"

John's eyes widened and he took another step back, shaking his head, "I'm not in love with Emily and I never will be," he replied coldly as he reached for his pocket.

Swearing loudly, McKeen lunged at John and knocked him towards a wall while his phone flew out of his pocket and broke on the floor. John hit the wall and fell to the floor and Caira didn't hesitate; she jumped up and hurried over to him, worried.

McKeen, however, shot Caira in the left foot, sending her to the floor and Carlos shakily got up, "Are you going to try and pop me off, weakling?" he snarled.

Christine moved over to the register, "Do you want money?" she asked shakily.

Chuckling coldly, McKeen marched over to John and forced him to his feet, "Emily only wanted one thing," he replied coldly. "It would be a shame if I had to kill…"

Letting off a string of curses, McKeen began to fire off several rounds throughout the diner as he forced John outside. Christine was forced to duck behind the counter while Carlos did his best to cover the injured and terrified Caira, who was bleeding.

A few moments later, the squealing of tires filled the air before all went quiet.

Caira whimpered and Carlos immediately turned his attention to her injured foot, being gentle as he removed her shoe and sock. The bullet had hit the middle of her foot, which was now oozing blood, "I'm going to take care of you," Carlos promised, realizing that he had to rise above his PTSD to help Caira. "It's going to be okay."

Christine grabbed the first aid kit and phone and hurried over to Carlos and Caira, setting the kit within his reach before dialling 9-1-1. Carlos popped it open and began to clean the wound, doing his best to ignore Caira's whimpers and Christine's talking while he worked.

* * *

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	12. Crossing the Line

**Several Hours Later**

**Manhattan, New York**

Thanks to Derek's driving, he, Emily, and Nick made it to New York in record time and Derek quickly travelled to the address McKeen had provided. Derek locked Nick in the van and took the keys, as Nick was too weak to try and escape and they needed to figure out his fate.

"This is a nice place," Emily spoke in a tired voice as she followed Derek and McKeen into the living room of the brownstone and found Ivan sitting there, enjoying a cigar.

Ivan nodded his head to Emily and quickly extinguished the cigar, as he didn't smoke in front of women, "Are you the one who wants that Boscorelli brat?" he asked in a curious voice.

Emily nodded, "That punk broke my wife's heart," Derek grunted, his voice cold.

"That _punk_ has been our guest for the last several hours," McKeen replied, smirking at Derek.

Derek sighed irritably, "Whatever; when can I go get my son?" he asked crossly.

"Do you need their address?" Emily asked softly. "I can just take you there…"

Derek gave Emily a worried look, "Emmy, you should stay here and keep your friend company," he replied, not wanting Emily to possibly do something to protect him from Alex. "Please?"

"John's here?" Emily asked quietly. "I…I've been wanting to see him for so long…"

McKeen nodded and led Derek and Emily into the back bedroom, smiling when he turned on the light. John was tied to a chair in the middle of the room while a clean bed sat in the corner. His face and arms were bruised and his eyes widened in horror when he saw Emily there

"Emily, why?!" John yelled in an anxious voice. "Why would you do this to me?!"

Derek growled as he stormed over to John, ripped him out of the chair, and ignored the injury it caused John as he lifted him above the floor, "Don't talk to my wife like that, you punk!" he growled, shaking John hard before throwing him towards the bed like a rag doll.

Emily flinched as John hit the bed and whimpered. McKeen quickly hurried over to the bed and handcuffed John's left to the headboard so he couldn't run, "No!" John howled anxiously.

"If you don't quit yelling, I'm going to let Derek beat you to death!" McKeen snapped.

John spat at McKeen and McKeen socked John in the jaw before slamming his head against the ornate headboard, "He's ready for _whatever_ you want to do to him," McKeen snarled.

"I wish I could join you, Em, but I want to go get Alex," Derek replied. "Have fun!"

Emily sighed anxiously, "I wish I could go with you," she replied. "I miss him."

"Don't worry, Emily," McKeen spoke reassuringly. "Once Derek has Alex, you can spend all the time with him that you want. I brought John to you because you wanted him…"

Derek scoffed and sauntered out of the room, having no intention of actually returning for Emily once he had his son because he didn't have time for the nuances of a teenage girl. He had paid someone to act as a priest and give her a fake marriage, but he didn't love her; she was just a stopover girl until he could get to Miami, murder Greg Sanders, and reclaim Jenny as his own.

The brownstone suddenly became very quiet and Emily looked at John, seeing right away that he wasn't happy to be there. He had obviously fought McKeen, as he had defensive bruises on him.

"All I asked you to do was be Alex's father," Emily grumbled. "Maybe Mom would have given him back if you would have said yes. Instead, you had to run to Vegas and pick up a girl…"

John frowned, "Emily, I love Caira," he replied weakly. "I…I don't love you the way you want me to. We're friends and I thought you were happy with that. I can't love you the way…"

Swearing, Emily slapped John across the face, "Please, Emily, you don't want to hurt me," John pled, his anxiety growing as she turned away from him. "Are we alone? You could let me go."

Emily silently left the room for a few moments and returned, "They're off to find Alex, but I'm not going to let you go," she replied in a cold, upset voice. "I want to show you that I love you."

Terror filled John's heart, but he was powerless to stop whatever was going to happen to him.

* * *

Flack was already at the scene and Mac hadn't wanted to do it, but he had also recalled Danny to New York because of the situation. Danny had relayed the news to Robert and had left him in the care of his family before catching a police chopper back. He was due to arrive at any minute.

In the meantime, Mac had assigned Hawkes and Lindsay to process the diner, he had coordinated with Major Cases and Anti-Crime to get search teams organized, and he was now at the hospital with Jo to talk to Carlos and Caira. He knew nothing except that one of them had been shot. He had also heard Christine Whitney was present at the diner and unharmed, but she had been escorted to a safe area because police were afraid of McKeen returning to the scene.

The sound of running water filled Mac's ears as he and Jo walked through the ER looking for Carlos, Caira, or any of his people to get information about the incident and he found himself looking around for the source of the noise. He quickly noticed that Carlos Nieto was lingering by a scrub station down the hall, staring at his bloodied, roughed up hands while the sink was running. His expression was somber and he was struggling to keep from crying.

Sighing, Mac made his way over to Carlos, "Carlos?" he asked in a quiet, soft voice.

Carlos didn't look up, "I couldn't go after them," he spoke softly. "Caira…was hurt."

Jo watched as Carlos exhaled anxiously before vomiting in the sink, "Carlos…" she began.

Anxious talking suddenly filled the ER and Mac quickly turned just in time to see Bosco hurry into the ER with Ty and a few other officers, "I heard about the attack on the diner," Bosco spoke in an anxious voice. "Carlos, John, and Caira were attacked by Jeffrey McKeen? Where are…?"

Mac sighed, "Caira's up in surgery and John was taken," he replied in an official voice.

Bosco frowned and looked past Mac to where Jo was standing with a very pale, trembling Carlos, "Does Carlos have details?" he asked in a quiet voice. "He doesn't look well."

"We were about to interview him," Mac replied softly. "Where's your wife?"

Bosco sighed, "When I heard about the shooting, I called home and insisted that Sully and Yelina stay with Danielle and the kids," he explained quietly. "I promised I'd phone with any…"

Bosco's eyes suddenly widened as Carlos threw up in the sink again. Jo immediately took Carlos's arm and gently guided him over to a nearby row of plastic chairs, sitting with him.

"Sorry…" Carlos spoke in a soft, shaky voice. "Um, are the cops here to arrest me?"

Jo frowned and Bosco suddenly turned to the other uniforms, "_Out_," he ordered briskly. "_Now_."

The uniforms looked confused, but quickly left. Mac, Ty, and Bosco walked over to Carlos, "Davis, can you talk to Carlos?" Bosco asked firmly. "I'll talk to Detective Taylor."

Ty remained as Bosco and Mac walked off, "I…large groups of cops make me nervous because I know what the media said about the Bernard Marquez thing," Carlos spoke in a nervous voice.

"You want me to call Holly?" Ty asked quietly. "Tommy's also off from school today…"

Carlos shrugged and Ty did just that, knowing Carlos just needed time to collect himself. Jo, however, knew she needed to get information from Carlos that would help them find John and she needed to get him opening up. She offered him a smile and waited for him to speak.

* * *

"Jess, open up!"

Anxiety filled Angell as she answered the door and found Flack there, "Don, what…?" she asked worriedly. "We're sort of on lockdown because John Boscorelli was kidnapped…"

"I'll hide you both at my place," Flack replied anxiously. "I cleared it with Mac already."

Angell looked confused, "I thought you were in Miami?" she asked in a confused voice.

Flack looked around and saw that the hotel room's bathroom door was closed, "She's in the bathroom, Don," Angell spoke in an anxious voice. "All this stress is making her sick."

The bathroom door suddenly opened and Dr. Pride came out, deeply shaken because she was horrified about John's kidnapping, "We have to go," Angell spoke anxiously. "How are you?"

Dr. Pride's eyes narrowed, but she silently proceeded to grab the bags she had never unpacked and threw her wallet into it before getting her shoes on, "Where?" she asked coldly.

Flack was surprised at Dr. Pride's sudden coldness, but Angell simply brushed it aside and took one of the bags from her, "Let me help you carry those," she spoke calmly. "All right?"

Dr. Pride nodded, "Don, it's all right," Jess spoke quietly, giving him a look. "Where to?"

"My place," Flack replied in a calm voice. "We'll take the fire exit and back roads."

* * *

"…Police presence on the streets has increased in the last few hours since John Boscorelli was kidnapped by Jeffrey McKeen…" a voice spoke over the radio of the van that McKeen was driving while Ivan and Derek hid in the back with Nick. "This situation is ongoing…"

Vomiting filled the back and Ivan swore before a loud bang filled the vehicle, "We can't get to Alex and Nick puked on my shoes!" Ivan growled angrily. "What do we do, McKeen?"

"Nicky said that Jenny's in Miami, so maybe we should go kill Sanders and then get her to help us find Alex," Derek spoke up coldly. "Um…do y'all have a boat we can use to get to Miami?"

Ivan muttered under his breath, but sighed, "Yes, I do," he replied. "At ze harbor."

McKeen scoffed, but turned on to a back street that served as a shortcut to the harbor. He had spent a lot of time hiding in New York and knew the city well enough to avoid the heavier police presence that had materialized. He had given John to Emily and didn't need either of them now.

Suddenly, a rugged looking car turned on to the street ahead of them and McKeen paused. He didn't need any witnesses trying to get in the way of what they were now trying to do.

"There's a car ahead," McKeen hissed coldly. "Prepare yourselves for a _fight_."

Sounds of guns being loaded filled the car as McKeen sped up and got in front of the new arrivals, stopping and forcing the other car to stop. A smirk of glee filled his face as he realized that Flack, Angell, and Dr. Pride were in the car. They now had a qualified doctor that could care for the injured Nick and keep him alive and two cops that could be dealt with swiftly.

Flack frowned as he watched the doors to the van ahead of them open and he immediately went for his gun, "Jess, slide into the driver's seat and take off once I'm out," he ordered firmly.

Angell, however, froze when she saw McKeen and Ivan emerge from the vehicle. Flack quickly got out and a shootout ensued. As bullets flew everywhere, Dr. Pride ducked out of sight and Angel quickly brandished her gun, ready to shoot at McKeen and Ivan through the car.

Ivan stormed towards the car and shot at the windows of the car as he did before shoving Flack into the car hard. Flack hit the car and fell, leaving Ivan free to get into the car.

"Say _goodnight_, little Angell," Ivan sneered before shooting Angell in the stomach twice.

Dr. Pride whimpered and Ivan immediately went to the backseat, not hesitating to rip the door open and grab her arm, "Nick Stokes is going to _die_," Ivan hissed. "Unless you come with me."

Angell's whimper filled the car and Dr. Pride hesitated before getting out of the car with only her purse on her since the bags were in the trunk. Flack tried to get up and McKeen drop kicked him as he came over to the car, "Raid the trunk," McKeen ordered. "Get everything of value."

"Those are just my bags," Dr. Pride spoke anxiously. "I…you didn't need to shoot them…"

McKeen quickly got into the car and glanced at the injured Angell briefly before grabbing the keys, "If it's your stuff, get it," he ordered, throwing the keys to Dr. Pride. "NOW!"

Dr. Pride anxiously got her bags out of the trunk while Ivan grabbed the tire iron. Ivan then dragged her past Angell and Flack and over to the van. Ivan opened the back, revealing an angry looking Derek and a battered, weak looking Nick. Ivan threw the bags in the back over Nick's head, "Get in," Ivan hissed coldly, glaring at his ex-wife. "We must make tracks to ze harbor."

Nick opened his mouth to protest, but pain suddenly overcame him and he passed out. Dr. Pride glared at Derek as she got in and he moved away, pleased that he didn't have to play doctor anymore because Ivan's ex had more skills than him. The doors slammed with a CLANG.

A moment later, Dr. Pride felt the van speeding away from the scene, leaving Flack and Angell alone and defenseless. If Nick happened to die now, even more blood would be on her hands.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

"Emily, got a minute?"

It was one of her few days off and Emily had been spending it at Anthony and Rosa's house with James, Julliet, and Jesse. BJ, Adam, and Lenny were also there, all of them doing homeschooling. It had been a quiet day until Ryan had shown up unexpectedly.

Emily nodded as Rosa came into the living room with snacks for the kids as they sat on the floor, reading quietly, "It's important," Ryan spoke in a quiet voice. "Um, could we maybe go out?"

Frowning, Emily quickly made sure Jesse was still asleep in his carrier before standing up to stand at eye-level with Ryan, "What's wrong?" she asked in a concerned voice. "Are you okay?"

Rosa gave Ryan a concerned look, but Ryan sighed, "It's complicated," he stammered quietly, his expression a mixture of upset and concern. "I…I just really need to talk to you."

Emily nodded and silently followed Ryan out to the front yard, her frown deepening when he saw a CSI Hummer parked at the curb, "I…I'm supposed to be at the lab, but Horatio's aware of what I'm doing," Ryan spoke nervously. "I saw Grissom at the hospital a few hours ago…"

"Grissom?" Emily asked in a concerned voice. "You saw Grissom at the hospital?"

Ryan sighed, "He was getting chemo while I was getting a checkup," he breathed softly. "H and I both saw him and I followed Grissom home after. I took him some things…"

Emily nodded and Ryan exhaled anxiously, "I think he could use some help, but I didn't want to bring it up to him," Ryan explained worriedly. "I don't know why he came to Miami when…"

"You mentioned he's married and has twins," Emily cut in softly. "Why is he out in Miami?"

Ryan shrugged and looked anxious, "Do you think I'm wrong to be worried enough about him to involve you without telling him?" he asked worriedly. "I…Horatio didn't think I was."

Emily sighed, "Ryan, I think you were right to tell someone else because this is clearly overwhelming you," she replied softly. "Do you want me to go talk to Grissom?"

Ryan nodded and exhaled anxiously, "The house isn't far from here," he spoke quietly. "I can…"

Nodding, Emily quickly went inside and retrieved her purse before joining Ryan in the Hummer.

It didn't take long for them to get from the Speedles to the condo where Grissom was hiding and Emily was deeply surprised that it was near the beach, "I guess these are one of the properties that Victims Assistance owns," Ryan spoke quietly. "I wonder if I should have called first…"

Emily sighed patiently and waited while Ryan used his key to open the door. Sounds of retching and coughing greeted them and Ryan suddenly worried that the chemo had gotten to Grissom.

"Grissom?" Ryan called out in a concerned voice. "It's Ryan Wolfe. Are you okay?"

A few seconds later, a pale, tired looking Grissom came out of the bathroom wrapped in a large blanket and froze at the sight of Ryan and Emily, "Hello," he spoke quietly. "Welcome."

"I heard the puking," Ryan spoke in a concerned voice, frowning. "Is that normal so soon?"

Grissom sighed, "I've never had cancer before, so I don't know," he replied in a quiet voice as he made a beeline for the living room couch, revealing that his laptop was on the coffee table. "I've tried to keep on top of what's going on with trying to find Nick, but Sara's been called into help Greg keep the lab going while everyone else focuses on the situation. I'm on the update site…"

Exhaling anxiously, Grissom sank on to the couch, "Grissom, you don't look well and I personally think you should be resting," Emily spoke firmly. "I know you want to help…"

"I resigned from CSI to give greater attention to Victims Assistance and its clients," Grissom replied in a quiet, but tired voice. "Las Vegas is still reeling from Sofia's death and I felt that if my attention weren't so much on the lab, things might have been different…."

Ryan's expression softened, but Grissom didn't notice because he was looking at his laptop with a sour expression on his face, "According to the updates, Nick's captors are no longer in Vegas," Grissom spoke in a quiet voice. "They're bringing the FBI in to help with the investigation…"

Scoffing irritably, Grissom closed his eyes and silently massaged his forehead, "Grissom, are you okay?" Ryan asked in a concerned voice. "You're…you're not going to pass out, are you?"

"I've got a jar of grasshoppers in the cupboard next to the fridge," Grissom replied. "Get them."

Ryan quickly went into the kitchen, found the jar, and got it to Grissom, "Grasshoppers?" Emily asked in a confused voice, frowning as Grissom opened the jar and quietly ate a few of them.

"Grasshoppers help with low blood sugar," Grissom explained, sighing. "Thank you."

Ryan sighed as Grissom opened his eyes, "Is there anything I can do for you?" Ryan asked softly.

Grissom shrugged, "The site also mentioned an attack in New York," he replied softly, his expression somber. "I know a few people there and they aren't mentioning who was attacked…"

"I already know because Horatio was informed that this incident might delay the hearing," Ryan spoke in an apologetic voice. "John Boscorelli was kidnapped by Jeffrey McKeen…"

Grissom's eyes widened in shock and he promptly passed out, sinking on to the couch quickly.

Ryan paled and Emily quickly knelt down to check him, "Call 9-1-1," she ordered. "_Now_."

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

"Danielle, I can stick around if you want company or protection," Bosco offered in a concerned voice as he and Danielle stood outside the room where Caira was now resting after surgery.

Danielle scoffed, "Aren't you needed to help look for John?" she asked in a tired voice.

"Sully and Yelina have the rest of the kids at home and Davis is sitting with Carlos right now," Bosco replied calmly. "Taylor suggested I stay because Caira will need protecting…"

Danielle sighed anxiously and hugged her husband, relieved when he held her gently held her, "I managed to talk to the doctor after she was brought out of surgery," she spoke anxiously. "Caira made me her power of attorney at John's recommendation and I just feel so bad for her…"

"They got it out, right?" Bosco asked in a concerned voice, frowning at his wife.

Danielle nodded and suddenly frowned, drawing away from Bosco as she noticed something over his shoulder. Bosco turned and frowned when she saw Faith lingering near the elevator.

"Faith, aren't you supposed to be hiding?" Bosco asked in a confused, concerned voice.

Faith sighed, "I called your place and Sully said you were here," she replied in a concerned voice, her expression somber. "Alex and Charlie are with my John at the hotel…"

Danielle frowned, but said nothing, "I…I'm just so angry and upset that Emily would do this," Faith admitted shakily. "I didn't realize that she would actually help kidnap John to try and hurt him! I knew she had problems, but I never dreamed she'd do this. I'm so sorry…to all of you."

"Emily made her own choices," Danielle replied quietly. "You are not responsible for her anymore, Faith. She's an adult and she chose to make friends with McKeen…"

Faith sighed, but didn't look convinced, "You aren't responsible for what others choose to do," Danielle reiterated firmly. "We learned that when you took me to Jason Christopher's class…"

Nodding, Faith looked into the hospital room, "Is that Caira?" she asked quietly.

"Caira was shot in the foot and had surgery," Danielle replied quietly. "Her foster father is in Vegas looking after her brother and she's got nobody else, so I'm her power of attorney…"

Faith nodded, "It's like when you took in Tommy Lauren," she replied. "That's good of you."

Danielle sighed tiredly as the elevator opened and Jo came on to the floor, "Sergeant and Mrs. Boscorelli, hello," Jo spoke warmly. "I was wondering if Caira Jamison is out of surgery?"

"She is," Danielle replied softly. "Do you mind if I sit in while you talk to her?"

Jo shrugged, "You and Sergeant Boscorelli are both welcome to," she replied calmly.

As they were about to go into the hospital room, however, Jo's cell went off and she quickly answered it. Her determined expression suddenly morphed into a frown and she swore.

"What's wrong?" Bosco asked as Jo got off the phone. "You seem upset."

Jo sighed, "Two NYPD detectives were attacked and the person they were protecting was kidnapped," she spoke in a concerned voice. "One of the detectives saw who did it…"

"Maurice, _go_," Danielle replied in a firm voice. "They're going to need your help."

Bosco looked reluctant to leave, but finally nodded and followed Jo to the elevator. Danielle silently slipped inside Caira's hospital room and planted herself at the girl's bedside. A moment later, Faith joined her; she felt extremely guilty about what Emily had done and wanted to be there for the friends who had been affected by it.

* * *

**Miami, Florida**

It was as if Adria Caine-LaRusso herself had been there and had worked some magic beyond the grave. Not long after Danny and Flack had gone home, Robert had begun feeling his legs again.

The doctors assigned to Robert couldn't believe the sudden medical turnaround and had immediately sent him for tests to see what was happening. Nothing, however, could explain what was happening and it was discovered that his spine had also healed considerably. It wasn't perfect, but there was a chance he could begin walking rehab as soon as he was strong enough.

Throughout all of this, Robert had also wondered how his former partner and his family were doing with the attack on the diner in New York. He couldn't help but be very worried.

"Bobby?"

Robert turned his head slightly away from the window he had been looking out of, deep in thought about the Boscorelli family. He readjusted his chair and was surprised to see his uncle and his wife standing by the bed with Dr. Loman. Natalia immediately hugged him.

"Is it true?" Natalia whispered as she held him. "You're starting to feel your legs?"

Robert nodded and was rewarded with a deep, passionate kiss, "Mmm," he managed to say.

Dr. Loman cleared his throat, prompting them to stop kissing, "I'd like to test your legs and feet," he commented in an amused voice holding up an instrument. "Do you mind?"

Robert shrugged and responded affirmatively as his legs and feet were poked, "I feel the instrument itself, but no pain," he replied softly. "Will I ever get full feeling back?"

"It's still too soon to tell," Dr. Loman replied calmly. "However, this is progress."

Robert sighed, "That's one bit of good news," he replied. "Any word on John Boscorelli?"

"Not yet," Horatio replied quietly. "I know you care about them a great deal and I am keeping my ears open for information. All we know is that Jeffrey McKeen was involved…"

Robert looked uneasy, "Donnie and Danny mentioned Emily Yokas and Ivan Sarnoff, but I can't imagine why Emily Yokas would be involved in this," he replied. "She's just a kid…"

"I recall John telling me that Emily had written him rather steamy love letters via email," Horatio spoke in a concerned voice, thinking back to the time they had spent together in the old barn. "John, however, didn't seem to be interested because he was dating Caira Jamison…"

Natalia frowned, "Emily Yokas arranged for John to be kidnapped because he didn't want to be involved with her?" she asked in a disgusted voice. "She asked McKeen and Ivan..?"

"And Bosco mentioned in his last email to me that Emily married Derek Stokes, so I wouldn't be surprised if Derek was also involved," Robert spoke softly, sighing. "What a mess."

Horatio exhaled anxiously, the mere thought of Vegas triggering his anxiety enough that he needed to take a walk. He silently left the room and Robert and Natalia didn't say anything, as they knew that he was still very much recovering from the trauma that Vegas had been.

As Horatio reached the elevator, his hand went to the phone in his pocket and he found himself dialling the MDPD's Counseling Services. He needed to make an appointment with the department counsellor before he went to New York and now was as good a time as any.

His hands, however, touched fabric and Horatio realized that he had accidentally left his phone in the Hummer that was parked in the hospital parkade. Scoffing at his forgetfulness, Horatio took the elevator down to the main floor and began to cross the ER to get to the parkade, freezing in his tracks when he saw Ryan and Emily standing by the nurse's station, talking with each other.

"Ryan, Doctor Speedle, what are you doing here?" Horatio asked softly, approaching them.

Ryan and Emily exchanged a look and Ryan sighed, "There was a complication during my visit to Grissom's condo," he spoke quietly. "He passed out and we called an ambulance…"

"I take it you invited Emily to visit Grissom in case he was interested in counseling?" Horatio asked in a curious voice, his eyes narrowing. "What exactly did you find at the condo?"

Ryan looked concerned, "He quit the lab to focus more on Victims Assistance," he replied in a worried voice. "I'm wondering if he came here because he knows about me working, raising, Carlos, and the incident involving Jill Adams and those boys from the pilot program."

"James Scott and Darin Mitchell?" Horatio asked quietly. "Ryan, they're in the wind…"

Ryan nodded, "He passed out after I mentioned John Boscorelli being abducted," he replied.

"I think everything's hitting him all at once," Emily spoke softly. "He's going through a lot."

Horatio sighed as a nurse came out of a nearby exam room, "I wonder if Grissom's awake," Ryan murmured in a concerned voice. "Hey, um, I'm just going to check on him…"

As Ryan left, Horatio gave Emily a look, "Doctor Speedle, I was wondering if I could make an appointment," he spoke in a quiet voice. "It's a requirement before I go to New York…"

* * *

**Manhattan, New York**

A gaggle of cops were scattered through the ER, even more than when Carlos and Caira had been brought in. Mac had shuffled his people around so that they could work on both John's abduction and the attack on Flack, Angell, and Dr. Pride. The diner was now processed and so he had sent Lindsay and Hawkes back to the lab with that evidence and Danny was now at the hospital with him to talk to Flack. Flack had managed to get Angell to the hospital despite his own injuries.

Jo had checked in on the situation, but Bosco had asked her to keep an eye on Danielle and Caira for the time being so he could help with this new case. Jo had agreed to help him out that way.

Shaken and perfectly aware of all the chaos, Flack sat alone on a gurney in one of the exam rooms. He had been separated from Angell upon arriving at the ER and he was now alone, in extreme pain, and was wearing clothes covered in blood and dirt. He felt absolutely awful.

"Flack?"

Flack looked up from the mess that was his clothes and was surprised to see Mac, Danny, and an anxious looking nurse standing there, "Everything hurts," Flack spoke weakly.

Danny nodded and frowned as he saw a spot of blood growing on Flack's left shoulder, "Looks like you were shot," he observed in a concerned voice. "We gotta have a look at it…"

Flack shakily managed to remove his shirt, revealing colorful bruises, dirt, dried blood, and a bullet hole on his shoulder that was bleeding, "Looks like a through and through," Mac observed in a quiet voice. "You decided to move Angell and Dr. Pride to your place after we figured out McKeen and Ivan Sarnoff were behind the attack on the diner. What happened?"

"I took back roads and we were ambushed," Flack replied quietly. "By the group and they had Nick Stokes with them, but Emily Yokas wasn't there. She might still be with John Boscorelli."

Mac nodded, "Where's Doctor Pride?" he asked worriedly. "She wasn't with you."

"After Jess was shot, she and her stuff were taken by Ivan Sarnoff and McKeen," Flack replied, wincing as the nurse examined his wound with her gloved hands. "Ow, that really smarts…"

Mac nodded, "They probably needed a doctor for Nick Stokes," Flack replied, wincing.

"Lie down, please," the nurse spoke in a concerned voice. "You might have more injuries."

Flack obeyed, but Danny quickly noticed that his expression looked haunted and lost, "Flack, what is it?" Danny asked in a concerned voice, frowning. "You look…"

"I need to call for a doctor," the nurse interrupted. "Would you mind watching him?"

Mac nodded and the nurse hurried out, "I heard a couple nurses talking just before you arrived," Flack managed to say in a quiet voice. "They're not sure Angell is going to make it…"

Grief filled Flack's face and he closed his eyes, shaken by what had happened just a short time ago. Danny and Mac exchanged a look; they needed to know what had happened out there.

"Don, I know you're in pain, but we need to know what happened," Mac spoke in a quiet voice.

* * *

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	13. They Who Fight

A smack echoed through the air as Nick slowly came to awareness and found that the ground beneath him was unsteady. He tried to move and found that his hands were tied and raised above his head, rendering him helpless. The movement also triggered an intense feeling of nausea.

"We have vat ve have and you need to use eet to make sure Nick Stokes doesn't die," Nick heard an angry voice hiss from just outside the room. "He vas not even supposed to be here…"

A door banged open and Nick suddenly found himself nearly blinded by light, "Doctor Vatelli vill have more supplies ven ve get to hees dock," Ivan spoke coldly. "Just do your best."

Nick squinted and sighed as the light eased up, but he soon heard footsteps and frowned when he saw someone standing over him, "Nick, I'm Doctor Pride," the voice spoke softly. "I…"

The door slammed and Nick exhaled anxiously, "The floor's moving," he breathed weakly.

"We're on my husband's cargo boat," Dr. Pride replied quietly. "We left New York several hours ago and we're on our way to Miami after we make a brief stop in North Carolina…"

Nick struggled with his hands and Dr. Pride quickly freed his hands before setting her supplies on the floor, "I…I think I can fix the damage if you let me," Dr. Pride spoke shakily.

Tears filled Nick's eyes, but he nodded, "I'm probably gonna die anyway," he whimpered.

"You won't die," Dr. Pride replied anxiously as she rummaged through the items on the floor and found some pain medication. "I don't have anything to sedate you, but I have this…"

Nick didn't fight as she gave him some of the medication with some bottled water, "I have to operate on you right here and it's gonna hurt, but try not to think about it," Dr. Pride said softly.

* * *

Manhattan, New York

John had passed out nearly an hour ago and Emily had finally gotten bored. She knew John was weak because of the diabetes and past trauma, but she never realized how weak he actually was.

She needed to go find Ellen and get some drugs so they could keep the fun going until Derek got back with Alex. Ellen's house was several blocks away and John was handcuffed to the bed, so he wasn't capable of escaping even if he was awake. Sighing, Emily got out of bed, dressed, and grabbed her wallet before leaving the room. A few moments later, the house was quiet.

Little did Emily actually know that John had pretended to pass out so that he didn't have to hear her pleadings anymore. He didn't love her and he never would, but she didn't seem to get it. He had felt everything she had done to him and he was in extreme pain, but he was still conscious.

Pain shot through John's body as he struggled to get up, but he found that he was still handcuffed to the bed, "Crap," he breathed, coughing as he spoke. "I…I have to break outta here…"

It took all of John's strength to yank at the handcuff as hard as he could, but he did it and ended up having to do it several times before the handcuff snapped off of the railing, leaving only the one piece around his now numb wrist intact. More pain shot through John's body as he shakily sat up and staggered out of bed, the sight of a gray video camera in the corner catching his eye.

_McKeen probably wanted to make a porn video out of this and Emily let him. _John thought in an anxious voice, his body trembling as he staggered over to the camera and grabbed the tape out of it with his right hand since his left one wasn't working. He then peered around the floor for his wallet, but he was having trouble seeing properly and a wallet on a dark floor was difficult.

All John wanted to do was get out of there and that singular thought kept him upright as he made his way through the brownstone and outside. Cold hit his legs and he realized that his pants were gone, but if he went back for them, he might never get another opportunity to escape.

Cold air slapped John's skin hard as he staggered through the quiet streets. He could see bright lights not far off and knew that they signified a place where he could maybe find some help.

* * *

As footsteps echoed through the air, Flack lay alone in the ER after trying and failing to rest. His shoulder wound and broken ribs had been patched up and he had been kept to rest until someone could come and get him, but there was nobody available. He was tired and broken.

The gaggle of cops had gradually left, as had Mac and Danny, and Flack was alone after giving his statement. Exhaustion and pain crippled him, but he couldn't sleep or take medication.

"…I know it's two in the morning, but I'd rather take Caira home and have her there where I know she's safe," a firm voice spoke. "I'm a paramedic and I can take care of her foot."

There was a sigh, "Please, I spent a good deal of my childhood in the hospital for various things and I don't like being here," Caira's voice spoke quietly. "I want to go home with Danielle. She's qualified to take care of me."

"All right," a quiet voice spoke. "I'll get your discharge papers taken care of right away."

Flack frowned as Caira started to cry and was quickly quieted by Danielle's gentle words. He couldn't help but be impressed at Danielle Boscorelli's ability to keep it together even though John was now missing and her family had endured much. She was a lot like her father in that way; she didn't take crap from anyone and she kept going even when life got very hard.

"Mrs. Boscorelli, Caira, what are you doing?" another voice suddenly asked. "Leaving?"

Flack's eyes widened when he recognized Danny's voice, "My husband's still at work, so my father's on his way to pick us up," Danielle explained firmly. "Caira's been having bad anxiety about being here and so I'm taking her back to our apartment. I'm qualified to care for her."

Danny sighed and didn't say anything. A moment later, Flack heard the curtain move.

Flack sighed when he saw Danny standing there looking worried, "I managed to get a break to come take you home," Danny explained quietly. "How's Angell? We haven't heard anything…"

Danny frowned when Flack paled and his eyes filled with tears, "She's gone," Flack whispered.

"I'm sorry," Danny replied in a concerned voice. "Does…does anyone else know?"

Flack sighed, "That's why the circus is gone," he replied numbly. "Everyone's out looking…"

A loud crash and screams suddenly filled the air, prompting Danny and Flack to get over to the noise in a hurry. The nurse on duty and Danielle were kneeling over a bloody, battered mess of a person that was convulsing on the floor while Caira watched from her wheelchair, terrified.

The seizing suddenly stopped and Danielle began doing first-aid, "John, it's Mom," she spoke as she checked him. "Danny, it's John. You need to tell Detective Taylor that he just showed up here half clothed and started seizing. His blood sugar's low…that's why he started seizing…"

Flack's eyes widened, but Danny's attention was on the object he could see in John's right hand, as it looked important. He quickly took his phone out and took a few photos of the injuries and blood that he could see and then he used his sleeve to pluck the item from John's right hand.

"It's a video camera tape," Danny mused in a concerned voice, stepping aside as more nurses and a freaked out Dr. Fields came running with a gurney and Sully came in from outside with Bosco.

Bosco swore as he got a glimpse of John right before the medical personnel swarmed him, "How did he even get here?" he asked in a confused voice, frowning. "It's two in the morning!"

Danny suddenly noticed the trail of blood leading into the hospital and sighed, "That trail of blood may take me back to where he's been," he observed. "I gotta call Mac about this…"

"Danno, I can walk with you," Flack spoke quietly. "Even with a bum arm…"

Danny sighed and nodded before getting on his phone, "I'll call someone to come to the hospital for John's things," he replied, frowning as he noticed the handcuff. "Hey, his wrist."

"Is that a broken handcuff?" Bosco asked in a cross voice, eyeing John's left wrist.

Danielle sighed anxiously as Danny took a photo of the handcuff before the nurses removed it and tossed it on the floor. A moment later, they took John off to a trauma room out of sight and Danny quickly got his phone out, knowing he needed backup so he could follow the blood trail.

Caira whimpered, as she had a pretty good idea what the handcuff meant and a definite idea of what John endured because of Emily Yokas, "I'm going to take Caira home and then come back once she's settled," Danielle spoke in a firm voice. "Maurice, can you stick around?"

Bosco nodded and Danielle hustled Caira outside because she needed to calm the young girl down. The desk nurse passed Sully the discharge papers before hurrying to the trauma room.

"Hey, Mac, it's Danny," Danny said into his phone. "I need back up. John's been found."

Bosco gave Sully a look before walking over to the trauma room window and watching the medical staff work. A moment later, he pulled his phone out and began making calls.

* * *

Miami, Florida

Robert was sound asleep in his hospital bed and Tim found himself wide awake. He had volunteered to spend some nights sitting at his colleague's bedside, as had a few others in the department, to give Horatio a break. Since he himself struggled at night ever since Horatio's kidnapping, Tim decided to do something besides sit up and read at home. Emily had understood and had gotten him the afternoon off so he could sleep and prepare to do 'guard duty' that night.

Uniformed patrols also came and went through the evening and night, but they stayed outside and were only to serve as backup if something happened. Most of them didn't want to interact with certain CSI's, as there were still hard feelings about the treatment that Ryan Wolfe and Robert Caine got the previous year. Eric and Calleigh, however, hadn't signed up for a shift.

"…I really appreciate you being willing to look after Carlos tonight," a tired voice suddenly spoke as footsteps echoed down the hallway. "Grissom still hasn't woken up and I'm scared to leave until he does. He's alone out here and his family situation is complicated…"

Tim frowned and poked his head out into the hallway just in time to see Ryan send the call, "Ryan?" he asked quietly, frowning when he noticed the uniform was gone. "What's up?"

Ryan turned to see Tim, "Hey," he spoke nervously. "I'm sitting with Doctor Grissom…"

Tim frowned, "Doctor Grissom?" he asked quietly. "Isn't he from Las Vegas?"

Before Ryan could reply, Natalia came off the elevator and down the hallway carrying a duffel bag, "Natalia?" Tim asked in a confused voice. "I thought you were at home with the kids?"

"I asked Rick and Lenny to come over so that I could spend some time with Bobby," Natalia replied in a kind voice, not wanting to say that she and Bobby were concerned for Rick and Lenny because of McKeen and Ivan being on the warpath. "You can go home."

Tim nodded and Natalia frowned at Ryan, "Ryan, is everything okay?" she asked softly. "You don't usually work or go out at night because you said that Carlos goes ballistic…"

"I'm here sitting with Grissom," Ryan replied quietly. "He's got cancer and he had a treatment today, but he had a reaction to it. He's in a room just down the hall and doesn't have…"

Natalia's eyes widened and Tim frowned, "Cancer?" she asked in a concerned voice.

Ryan nodded before turning and going back to a room just down the hallway, "Um, Tim, would you mind hanging out just a little longer?" Natalia asked in a concerned voice.

Tim nodded and Natalia speedwalked down the hallway to the room. She was shocked to see Grissom asleep in a bed, sporting several IV's in one arm and a tube in his nose while Ryan sat on the couch with a laptop and backpack beside him, "Wow," Natalia breathed softly.

"I don't fully understand what's happened that he came out here," Ryan replied in a concerned voice, gazing up at Natalia worriedly. "I brought him some things and his laptop. I was checking the site to keep him updated when he wakes and it looks like John Boscorelli was found alive…"

Natalia's eyes widened, "It doesn't say much other than that," Ryan replied softly.

A faint groan filled the air, "Did I hear something about John Boscorelli?" a weak voice asked.

Natalia and Ryan looked at the bed and were surprised to see Grissom peering at them, unable to see properly because he wasn't wearing his glasses, "My glasses," Grissom murmured weakly.

Ryan quickly retrieved the glasses and put them on Grissom's face, "Don't be mad, Grissom, but you passed out on your couch and I got you to the hospital," he spoke anxiously, frowning.

Grissom raised an eyebrow, "Oh," he replied quietly. "Why do you look nervous about it?"

"You told me not to do it and I did it anyway," Ryan replied. "When I visited before…"

Grissom sighed, "If I was passed out, I was in no position to protest your course of action," he replied in a tired voice. "You didn't second guess yourself in the face of an emergency…"

Ryan sighed and Grissom eyed the computer, "Is that my laptop?" he asked sleepily.

"I was checking the site," Ryan replied, placing the laptop on the table before he rolled it over to Grissom. "John was found, but there aren't a lot of details and Nick's case is still unsolved…"

Grissom sighed wearily, "Grissom, I think you should move into a place closer to the hospital," Natalia spoke quietly. "The building you and Emily bought is up and running now…"

Ryan's eyes narrowed, "You and Emily bought a building?" he replied in a confused voice.

"When Emily was out in Vegas for you, we discussed it and bought property," Grissom explained in a tired voice, sighing. "Jesse Cardoza offered to serve as a co-investor and on-site manager."

Ryan nodded, frowning when he noticed Grissom becoming tired again very quickly, "Why don't you get some rest, Grissom?" he suggested kindly.

* * *

Las Vegas, Nevada

Nick hadn't yet been found and Catherine was now working with the FBI to see where Nick could have been taken, as he and his captors were no longer in the state. Morgan, Ray, and Hodges were also involved in the investigation while Greg and Sara were on call at the lab.

Instead of working, however, Greg and Sara were sitting in the room where assignments were usually handed out, both of them sitting at the table together.

They were both tired, numb, and not sure how the mess could be fixed. Greg was also playing with his phone, occasionally texting Jenny to see how she and Diana were doing with Parker, Jessica, Matthew, and each other. Jenny responded while resting in bed.

"Sanders, Sidle, I need a moment of your time," Ecklie's stern voice suddenly filled the air.

Greg looked up from his phone and tried to hide it as Ecklie came into the room, but Ecklie scoffed, "Don't play me for a fool, Sanders, but this is one time I don't care about personal calls," Ecklie spoke irritably. "There aren't any new cases yet, but we have visitors."

Just then, an anxious looking Bill and Jillian Stokes came into the room with carry on bags, "We came as soon as we heard what happened," Jillian spoke anxiously, struggling to keep from crying as she and her husband sat at the table. "We thought it would be best to come here."

"Jenny's mother is in town and so she and Jenny have Jessica and Matthew at her family hotel," Greg spoke nervously. "Sara looks after Parker when Nick works, but Parker is with…"

Bill nodded and sighed as he reached into his bag, "We did some talking on the flight here, Greg, and this situation clearly proves that Emily and Derek aren't ready for the responsibility of children," he spoke in a quiet voice, producing a folder. "This grants you and Jenny full custody and gives you the right to adopt Jessica if you wish. We just want to be able to visit her."

Deeply stunned, Greg accepted the folder and nodded, but was too shellshocked to speak, "Judge Stokes, do you have any documentation of the wedding or any photos from Derek and Emily's wedding so we can see if there was any signs of the behavior that were missed?" Sara asked in a concerned voice, sighing. "I know you're going through a lot, but it would help…"

"I didn't perform the ceremony," Bill replied nervously. "Derek brought in a priest that he met at one of his recovery groups. He, Emily, and the priest signed the paperwork privately, or so…"

Greg frowned, "No witnesses signed it?" he asked softly. "That's really unusual."

Jillian gave Bill a look and Bill shook his head, "There's a registry online of those who are legally authorized to perform marriages," Greg commented. "Should we run a check?"

Ecklie sighed, "I didn't want you two involved in this, but we may not have a choice," he replied in a distressed voice. "Catherine's working with the FBI and everyone else is at Nick's house."

"I'll brew some coffee," Greg spoke quietly. "I think everyone could use it right now."

Sara got up, "Judge Stokes, if you come with me, we can research that priest to see if he is legitimate," she spoke in a concerned voice. "This may be bigger than we originally thought."

* * *

Manhattan, New York

The brownstone seemed quiet on the outside, but the inside was a mess. Danny was deeply relieved that someone had come and carted Flack home instead of making him go inside after helping follow the blood trail, as the sight would have been too much for him to handle.

Even though he knew it would take hours, Danny was fully prepared to process the scene alone because Mac was getting evidence from John to the lab, Jo was investigating the death of Jessica Angell, as was Sid; Lindsay was at home with Lucy because her shift had ended after the diner was processed and he didn't know if Mac had called her out again; Adam had taken possession of the tape found in John's hand and was working with it, and Hawkes was working at the lab.

Sighing heavily, Danny opened his kit as the front door opened, "Hey, this is a crime scene and I told you uniforms to stay outside," he said in an annoyed voice as footsteps filled the air.

Hawkes came into view with his crime scene kit and attempted to offer a smile to Danny, but failed miserably, "Mac got Lindsay to the lab to help with Angell's case and sent me over here so you wouldn't have to take this on alone," Hawkes explained. "Any word on John yet?"

"Sergeant Boscorelli is also at the hospital and is ready to shoot any reporter that comes crawling out of the gutters for information," Danny replied in a somber voice. "Danielle and her father took Caira back to the apartment and Lieutenant Davis is hanging out there as a precaution."

Hawkes nodded, "What about the tape?" he asked. "It might show who else was involved."

Danny got his phone out of his pocket, "I'll call the lab before we start," he replied softly.

While Danny called, Hawkes moved through the house and froze when he got to the bedroom; the floor had dirty footprints all over it that were covered by a pair of jeans and epic amounts of blood. The bed looked used and half of a set of handcuffs were hanging from the headboard.

* * *

New York Crime Lab

The lab was quiet, but Adam was pleased because it would allow him to watch the tape that Danny had rescued from John's hand without distraction. He hadn't expected to be assigned to such a serious case, but they were shorthanded and Mac had preferred him being in the safety of the lab just in case John's attackers were still out there. For that kindness, Adam was grateful.

It hadn't been hard for him to figure out that the tape was from a videorecorder and although he felt uneasy about why John had it, Adam knew it was important and put it into the machine.

"…_That little brat tried to bite me," a voice snarled against a dark screen. "It hurts…"_

_A light suddenly flashed on and Adam frowned as two well-built men hauled John into the room and dumped him on the floor. John spit at them and promptly got up again, ready to fight._

"_Looks like baby Boscorelli has an attitude problem," McKeen crooned. "I can fix that…"_

_Reaching down, McKeen grabbed John by his throat and slammed him into a wall. John struggled for several minutes before passing out. Smirking, McKeen unzipped his pants._

Something snapped inside of Adam and he suddenly found himself in a state where he didn't know what was going on around him. He knew that he was at the lab and was supposed to be watching the videos for clues, but his body and mind were numb; he couldn't move or speak.

"Adam?"

Lindsay, who had arrived to help in the lab while Hawkes went out in the field and had come upon Adam working, frowned when Adam didn't respond right away. She watched the video for a few seconds before pausing it and moving around to see why Adam hadn't responded.

She was horrified to see Adam's eyes glazed over and that he was barely breathing. His body was also rigid as if he had disappeared inside himself, "Someone help!" she called out anxiously.

"Lindsay, what's wrong?" Sid, who had just finished Angell's autopsy and had logged the bullets into the evidence locker himself since they were shorthanded, asked as he came into the room. "I just logged the bullets with evidence and I was heading back down to get my notes that I forgot…"

Lindsay frowned, "Adam's breathing, but it's like he's not there otherwise," she replied in a concerned voice. "He was watching some tape of Jeffrey McKeen and John Boscorelli…"

Sid frowned at the paused frame and fought back vomit before turning his attention to Adam, "Can you help me get Adam to the floor?" he asked in a concerned voice. "It sounds like he might have had a sort of seizure. He'll be more comfortable on the floor than in a chair."

As Lindsay and Sid made to move Adam from his chair, however, he came to and jerked away from being touched, "Adam, it's Lindsay and Sid," Lindsay spoke in a worried voice.

"I'm so tired," Adam squeaked weakly. "I…I was looking at the video…"

Sid sighed, "Lindsay, if you can take over here, I'll take Adam down to the bed that I have in the morgue and get him to rest for a few hours," he spoke gently. "Put in a call to Mac about it and just explain that I have it under control. There's no need for paramedics or anything…"

Deeply confused, Lindsay nodded, "Does Adam have a seizure disorder or something?" she asked in a concerned voice, frowning. "Something on this video must have triggered it."

Sid, however, didn't reply and merely helped Adam out of the room. Lindsay sat in the empty chair and quickly got on the phone, determined to help however she was able to.

* * *

Angel of Mercy Hospital – Manhattan, New York

Mac sighed as his phone went off and he fished it out of his pocket as he silently watched Bosco and a doctor talk just down the hallway. John had been stabilized very quickly and had been rushed to surgery not long after arriving. Seeing the doctor already talking to Bosco either meant things had moved very quickly and John was safe or things had gone very, very badly.

"Taylor," Mac spoke in a quiet voice. "What is it?"

There was a sigh, "Mac, Adam was looking at the video Danny found on John Boscorelli and he went into some sort of trance," Lindsay spoke worriedly. "Sid came when I yelled for help and he insisted on letting Adam rest in the morgue. Does Adam have a seizure disorder?"

"It's a difficult thing to explain, but just let Sid look after Adam for now," Mac replied in a quiet voice, a sigh in his voice. "Did you manage to get any information off of that tape?"

Mac frowned when Lindsay explained that McKeen had slammed John into a wall and choked him into unconsciousness before committing sodomy, all of it being on tape. She said that's as far as the video got before Adam got sick, but she would watch the rest and call him back.

Once the call had ended, Mac walked over to the doctor and Bosco, both of whom had been watching his call with interest, "One of my CSI's has started analyzing the tape that was found on John and it appears that McKeen slammed John into a wall and choked him before sodomizing him." Mac explained softly. "I'm sorry to have to inform you of this, but that would explain why there was more than one sample during the rape kit that was taken in the ER…"

Bosco looked horrified, but nodded and maintained his composure, "John dislocated his left shoulder and strained the rest of his arm, but it didn't break even though there's signs of a previous break from his last experience," the doctor explained softly, his expression somber. "He had surgery to fix that and his collapsed lungs. We also had to intubate him…"

"The tape shows Jeffrey McKeen choking John into unconsciousness," Mac cut in quietly.

Bosco sighed irritably, but said nothing because he was emotionally spent, "I've told my boss I'm spending the night in the SICU," he spoke firmly. "They gotta monitor him in there because of the diabetes. His blood sugar was low, which tells me that they didn't feed him…"

Without waiting for anything else, Bosco walked back to the SICU because he didn't want to discuss John's injuries. He just wanted to sit with his eldest adopted son and think quietly. Mac didn't call him back, nor did the doctor, as they both sensed it would only aggravate him.

* * *

Las Vegas, Nevada

"…So, this priest that married Derek and Emily Yokas isn't a priest at all," Sara explained in a concerned voice as she sat at the staff table with Greg, Bill, and Jillian. "He's a parolee that works as a mechanic in Austin, Texas. Perhaps him and Derek met at some point?"

Jillian sighed, "Derek went to a lot of different recovery meetings," she replied in a concerned voice, her expression helpless as the sound of footsteps suddenly filled the air.

Greg looked up from the folder in his hands just in time to see Catherine come into the room, "Bad news," she spoke in a somber voice. "The FBI were notified about the murder of a police officer in New York and the survivor gave a description that matches Derek, McKeen, and Ivan. According to the survivor, a Detective Flack, Nick and Doctor Pride were also present…"

"The hostages," Sara spoke softly. "Wait…Emily Yokas wasn't with them?"

Catherine shrugged, "We just found out that the priest who married Emily Yokas and Derek Stokes isn't a priest at all," Sara explained. "So the marriage is fake…"

"Are they still in New York?" Greg asked in a concerned voice, hoping Nick was all right.

Catherine shook her head, "New York tried to locate them, but the tire tracks from McKeen's vehicle go to the harbor and then stop," she replied. "They might have escaped on a boat…"

"I should text Betty to check on the twins," Sara spoke softly, rising. "Excuse me."

Without waiting for a reply, Sara left and retrieved her phone from her pocket. Instead of texting Betty, however, she texted Grissom because he hadn't texted in hours and she was worried.

* * *

Somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean

A whimper filled the air as Dr. Pride came into the cargo hold and froze at seeing Derek laying on top of Nick, doing unspeakable things while Nick cried weakly. She had reluctantly joined Ivan for a meal and had even more reluctantly allowed Derek to guard Nick, but it had obviously been a mistake to give Derek responsibility. His mood swings and behavior were unpredictable.

"GET OFF OF HIM!" Dr. Pride roared as she hurried forward and grabbed Derek's shirt.

Derek roared angrily and launched himself at her, quickly pinning her to a wall by her throat, "Do _not _tell me what to do with Nick," he hissed coldly. "Do it again and I'll kill you."

"Stop," Nick croaked through his tears, pain shooting through his body as he spoke.

Derek gave Dr. Pride a hard look, but released her and stormed out of the room. Dr. Pride massaged her throat before slowly moving to Nick's side. Nick's pants were lowered and she used her sleeves to put them back in place before stepping away and coughing anxiously.

"Let me check your wound," Dr. Pride spoke anxiously when she could finally speak again.

Nick frowned, but let Dr. Pride check his wound and change the bandage covering the wound on his abdomen without complaint, "ANDREA!" an angry voice suddenly roared from outside.

"Don't go," Nick whispered shakily, cringing as he spoke. "They'll…they'll kill you."

Dr. Pride sighed softly, "I'll see if someone can bring you a blanket," she replied. "Sleep."

Without waiting for a response, Dr. Pride left the cargo hold and went through the ship to the common area where she knew someone had shouted from. True to form, McKeen, Derek, and Ivan were sitting around and Derek was injecting himself with stolen insulin while McKeen and Ivan played cards. Derek gave Dr. Pride a death glare, but didn't move from his spot.

"Who yelled?" Dr. Pride asked in a quiet voice, staying quiet because her throat hurt too much.

Ivan smirked as he dropped his cards on the table and got up, "You assaulted Derek," he replied.

"Derek was trying to rape Nick after I patched Nick up," Dr. Pride replied coldly, refusing to be intimidated by her ex-husband. "I don't need my work wrecked by someone who's needing a…"

Derek swore, set his used needle on the table, and got up. He knocked Dr. Pride to the floor and proceeded to try and strip her before kicking her hard repeatedly in front of everyone. Dr. Pride finally managed to shove him off and he rolled to the floor, suddenly passing out cold.

"Anozzer fit," Ivan grumbled. "Just leave him there and he'll wake up veeth no memory of eet."

Dr. Pride frowned as she struggled to her feet, "Fits?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"When his blood sugar gets low, he gets insanely aggressive and then passes out after he gets insulin," McKeen hissed as he stood up. "Shall we pay a visit to the younger Stokes?"

Dr. Pride sighed, "He needs a blanket," she spoke weakly. "I told him I'd see about it…"

McKeen looked amused, "That crap's in the bedroom," he replied in a wolfish voice.

Nodding, Dr. Pride silently went into the bedroom and began looking for a blanket, but she suddenly found herself pinned down on the bed, "Nice _try_," Derek's cold voice spoke.

The door suddenly slammed shut and Dr. Pride knew she was now alone and helpless.

* * *

Manhattan, New York

It was with great reluctance that Mac returned to the lab after getting John's clothes and photographic evidence of his injuries. He had logged it in and it was now in the hands of the changing shifts as night yet again turned to day. Danny and Hawkes had spent hours at the brownstone and had come back with evidence and Jo was working on Angell's murder.

Now, as everyone else worked, Mac found himself down in the morgue to check on Adam and send him home if necessary. He knew that Adam had Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to childhood abuse, but it had never escalated into a seizure and he knew it would have to be addressed immediately. He was surprised, however, to see both Lindsay and Sid in the nap room, both of them talking quietly while Adam slept soundly on the bed Sid used for naps.

"Sid, Lindsay?" Mac spoke quietly as he approached. "How are things with Adam?"

Lindsay sighed, "I watched the rest of the video and after McKeen finished, John was tied to a chair and left alone until Derek Stokes and Emily arrived," she explained quietly, her expression sad. "Derek Stokes beat John up before they left and Emily had her way with him. After a few hours, she left and John broke free before the video ends. That must have been when he…"

Mac nodded, not needing to hear the rest right away, "Lindsay, I need your help processing more evidence," he spoke seriously. "I just got back from the hospital with John's clothes…"

Nodding, Lindsay reluctantly followed Mac upstairs, leaving Sid to watch over Adam.

* * *

Miami, Florida

Sara had sent him approximately 30 text messages throughout the night, all of them providing updates on the situation and also asking if he was okay. Grissom didn't want to tell her that he was now in the hospital with low blood pressure and other reactions to chemo, but he also didn't want to lie to his wife. He knew that Sara didn't need his lies complicating her life even more.

The night in the hospital hadn't done much, for helping him feel better, sadly. With great effort, Grissom composed a text that explained the truth, as he knew Sara could handle it and that she would be mad if he downplayed it. As he hit 'Send,' his phone slipped from his hand and hit the blanket he had been covered with all night as Dr. Stokes came into the room with his chart.

"Good morning," Dr. Stokes spoke in a calm voice. "I heard you're here for a few days."

Grissom sighed tiredly, "I'm afraid so," he replied. "I'd like to offer you an apology."

Dr. Stokes looked confused, "If I had been there for my team more and hadn't left, perhaps I could have prevented what happened to Nick," Grissom spoke softly. "I…I'm sorry."

Dr. Stokes frowned and promptly sat in the chair that was beside the bed, "As much as you want to, you can't always help everyone or prevent bad things from happening to others," she explained in a gentle voice. "Nick and his captors are no longer in New York, unfortunately. I got a call from NYPD this morning and they believe that the group went off on a boat…"

Grissom looked unsettled, but he also had no energy to do anything about it and knew if he tried to help, he would only hurt himself, "Your vitals aren't looking really encouraging this morning," Dr. Stokes spoke, eyeing the chart. "Did you eat at all yesterday? This morning?"

"I didn't regain consciousness until last night," Grissom replied quietly. "I didn't want to overburden Ryan or Natalia with getting me something to eat. I saw both of them…"

Dr. Stokes nodded, "And where is Ryan now?" she asked in a confused voice. "Natalia…?"

"Natalia went to be with her children and Ryan was gone when I woke up, so I assume he went home to his son," Grissom replied softly. "I took everyone by surprise when I came here…"

Dr. Stokes looked concerned as she got up, "Let me see if I can get you something from the cafeteria," she spoke in a kind voice. "Nick said you were a vegetarian or something…"

"I'd honestly prefer juice," Grissom spoke softly. "The mere thought of eating…"

A wave of nausea suddenly overcame Grissom and he found himself puking on the floor, barely missing Dr. Stokes's shoes. Dr. Stokes quickly got a cup from the sink area, filled it with water, and brought it back over to Grissom. She helped Grissom drink all of it and he exhaled softly.

Just then, Ryan came into the room carrying a bag. He froze at seeing the puke on the floor.

"I take it you're not feeling good this morning?" Ryan asked worriedly. "I went and got…"

Grissom exhaled and sighed as Ryan extracted a large smoothie from the bag along with several small containers of soup, "Just set it on the portable table," he spoke softly. "I'd rather rest."

Dr. Stokes nodded and made a few notes on the chart before leaving the room. Ryan set the food on the table and followed her into the hallway, "Is him being so sick normal?" he asked.

"He's also got a lot on his mind," Dr. Stokes replied calmly. "It may be a contributing factor."

Ryan watched as Dr. Stokes went over to the nurse's station with Grissom's chart before returning to Grissom's room. Grissom was asleep and Ryan noticed the phone on the bed, so he quietly put it on the portable tray next to the food and sat on the couch, needing to think.

* * *

Manhattan, New York

The Boscorelli apartment was quiet and even though it was morning, everyone was still asleep in their beds with Caira keeping her studio door open in case she needed help. Danielle also left the door to the master bedroom open during the night in case anyone needed her help at all.

It was about three a.m. when Danielle was finally able to settle down to sleep after getting home and settling Caira in her room, so nobody wanted to bother her. With that in mind, Sully had gotten up early and had closed Danielle's door while he had snuck down to the corner café to get breakfast for everyone. When he had gotten home, he had set everything up before turning on the news and the computer to see if anyone had any new information on the recent attacks.

Unfortunately, there was nothing on the news he hadn't already heard and so he turned it off and moved to the computer. He wasn't a fan of computers, but when Nicolas was born, he knew he would eventually need the skills for when the kid started school and needed help with homework, so he had reluctantly taken some computer courses geared towards mature learners.

"Grandpa?"

Sully turned from the computer and was surprised to see David standing behind him with his inhaler in hand, "I think this is empty," David spoke, a slight wheeze in his voice.

Nodding, Sully took the empty inhaler as he got up and walked over to the kitchen cupboards where John and David's medicines were stored. He put the empty inhaler in a container and quickly got David a fresh one before locking the cabinet again, as it was safer to do that.

"Here," Sully said as he handed David the inhaler. "You sound off this morning."

David took the inhaler and used it, "I'm just worried about John," he replied quietly.

Sully nodded and sighed gently, "Is that stuff from the diner?" David asked softly, seeing the food on the table. "Do you think anyone would care if I ate? I'm hungry."

"Go ahead," Sully replied calmly. "Just eat what you take."

David nodded and settled himself at the table, helping himself to a muffin, "Why's Mom still asleep?" he asked with his mouth full. "She's usually up by now to get us off to school."

"She and Caira got home at two in the morning," Sully replied. "Caira didn't want to stay at the hospital and so she asked your mom to bring her home. As they were leaving, John showed up."

David's eyes went wide and Sully swore, as David had been asleep at the time and hadn't known about John, "Grandpa, you said a bad word," David spoke worriedly. "Mom's gonna be mad."

Before Sully could reply, there was a faint groan and he paled at seeing Caira leaning against her open door with her bandaged foot elevated. He hurried over to the door and helped her move over to Bosco's recliner, "You shouldn't be up," he spoke sternly. "Danielle left you a bell."

"I've been hurt worse than this," Caira replied in a groggy voice. "Thanks for the help."

Sully nodded, "Do you need anything?" he asked worriedly. "I can make up the hideabed."

Caira sighed and promptly drifted off in the recliner. Sully quickly adjusted the recliner so her feet were elevated and then retrieved a blanket from the closet, being gentle as he covered her.

The phone suddenly rang, but Caira didn't stir and so Sully answered it, "Hello?" he said.

"_Is Danielle there_?" a weak voice asked. "_Gil said I could talk to Danielle anytime_."

Sully sighed as Yelina came out of their bedroom with Nicolas, "Uh, hi, Ellen," he spoke in a reluctant voice, giving Yelina a worried look. "Danielle's walking the kids to school today."

Yelina looked worried, but Sully remained calm, "Oh, John, can you please ask Danielle to go by my house and check it?" Ellen asked cheerily. "I'm worried about whether or not it's safe."

"Yeah, I'll ask her when she gets back," Sully replied calmly. "Gil mailed her a key."

There was a pleased sigh and a click, "Danielle's sleeping, isn't she?" Yelina asked softly.

Sully nodded, exhaling anxiously, "I'm not about to tell Ellen that," he replied firmly.

* * *

Las Vegas, Nevada

Gil's short, but blunt message about how he was feeling wasn't encouraging and Sara very much wanted to go to Miami to be with him. She couldn't, however, as the lab was shorthanded and she needed the income to support her, Gregory, and Danielle since Gil wasn't making income.

It wasn't as if he could come back either, as he had been threatened repeatedly by the higher-ups before he had finally resigned and had told it would be better if he left town for a while til things settled down. Las Vegas PD had blamed both Atwater and Grissom for the failure of the pilot project and had fired Atwater without hesitation. However, there had not been much that they could do to Grissom since he was not a cop. He had eventually chosen to leave on his own.

Those outside of Las Vegas, however, blamed the higher-ups and were disgusted with how Grissom and Ryan Wolfe were treated. Perhaps, Sara thought as she sat in the locker room with her phone in her hands, that's why Grissom felt that he had to run all the way to Miami.

"Sara?"

Sara looked up and saw Greg ready to leave, "Do you want a ride home?" Greg asked. "I know you cabbed it here cause you wanted to leave the car for your mother-in-law…"

"I heard you talking to Jenny on the phone earlier," Sara spoke quietly. "About what?"

Greg looked worried, "About you and how you've seemed so tired and withdrawn lately," he explained as he joined her on the bench. "I heard that Grissom also left Vegas and I've been wondering if I should go visit him. He's my father and I feel like we haven't gotten to…"

"He's got lymphoma and went away to Miami cause of all the crap LVPD was putting him through," Sara spoke quietly, sighing. "He's in the hospital there after having a very bad reaction to chemotherapy. I wish I could take the kids and visit him, but I need to keep working…"

Greg's eyes widened, "I could go," he offered. "I've got a few sick days…"

"Greg, I was on the phone with Nick before the attack and I heard everything," Sara spoke in a quiet voice, recalling what she had told Catherine and Ecklie. "Nick told Derek you and Jenny were in Miami. He lied to protect Derek from trying to find you, so you can't go…"

Greg sighed, as he too had been told that when he had come to work, "Unfortunately for both of us, all we can do is stay here for now," Sara spoke softly. "It would be too dangerous to go."

Nodding, Greg got up, "I'll take you back to your kids," he spoke in a tired voice. "And Parker."

"Judge Stokes and his wife went to the hotel to collect Parker," Sara replied softly.

As Greg and Sara left the building, Sara began to cry softly and Greg gently held her in a hug.

* * *

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	14. Angels Hanging By A Thread

**_24 Hours Later_**

**_North Carolina_**

Dr. Vatelli hadn't allowed anyone near the house where he, Tara Price, and Maritza had been living because Tara wasn't fond of visitors. He went into the nearest town once a month for supplies or he simply had them delivered by boat The woman had developed a paranoia over time that Maurice would find her and want Maritza, but she wasn't overly fond of the child either and didn't do anything but the bare minimum to take care of her. Dr. Vatelli had tried, but Maritza hadn't been responsive to him. The house was also becoming a mess.

The boat dock was the best place to meet McKeen, Ivan, Derek, the boat crew, and their prisoners and Dr. Vatelli sighed quietly as Ivan's boat docked. Ivan immediately came off the boat and tied it up, "Tara is manic, so I don't dare have you to the house," Dr. Vatelli said softly.

"I get eet," Ivan replied quietly. "Ve have had some incidents, so ve need your help."

Dr. Vatelli sighed, "Well, I have supplies at the house," he replied. "I just don't know…"

Ivan suddenly turned and snapped a few phrases in Russian. A moment later, Dr. Pride came off the boat helping a very weak, sick looking Nick walk. McKeen also got off the boat.

"No way," Dr. Vatelli said, glaring at McKeen. "Tara will go ballistic seeing you."

McKeen scoffed, but stayed by the boat, "Ivan, go with them," he ordered coldly. "Stokes, you better not try anything or I'll personally come up to the house and shoot you dead."

"You're an idiot," Dr. Pride hissed. "Nick's too weak to walk, let alone try to escape."

McKeen looked amused, "It's not my fault that Stokes got himself stabbed by an 18 year old girl," he replied in an indignant voice. "Get going and get what you need to done."

Dr. Vatelli's eyes went wide, but he remained silent and instead helped Dr. Pride get Nick moving towards the house while Ivan followed behind, leaving the others at the boat.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

Dan Cooper had spotted them and had followed them back to the safehouse that Jesse Cardoza had arranged for them, but he hadn't followed them inside. It was bad enough, however, that their living place was no longer a secret and it meant that he had to relocate immediately.

Unsure of how to handle things, however, Rick had taken Lenny to visit Robert at the hospital before Natalia arrived. A uniform was outside the room and gave Rick a look, so Rick gently shooed Lenny inside the room, "Stevens, what is it?" Rick asked coldly. "I'm…"

"You should still be in jail," Officer Stevens hissed coldly. "I don't buy your story."

Rick frowned, "I was undercover doing digging on Bernard Marquez," he hissed coldly, glaring at the officer. "I served time and was nearly killed, but it's done and over with…forever…"

Officer Stevens scoffed, "So Sackheim's dead and you get a pass from all the crap you did to Emily Speedle, to the little girls, and to Lieutenant Caine," he hissed coldly as he got up and backed Rick into the wall. "You don't deserve to wear the badge or even be alive…"

Rick immediately reached for his off-duty gun, but Stevens grabbed his hand before using his forearm to pin Rick to the wall by his throat. Suddenly, Rick felt the hands clawed off of him and he nearly collapsed and closed his eyes to compose himself and gasp for air.

"That's mighty unprofessional behavior," a cold, yet very familiar voice suddenly said.

Stevens swore as he saw Tripp standing there with Robert, who was wearing sweats, his gown, and a hoodie, sitting in a wheelchair, "Detective, I was just…" he stammered anxiously.

Tripp scowled and Stevens used the hesitation to break free before bolting off down another hallway, "Rick, you all right?" Robert asked worriedly. "I wasn't expecting you…"

"Your nephew wanted to visit you," Rick lied anxiously. "He's waiting in your room."

Robert raised an eyebrow, "Don't you have work?" he asked worriedly.

"What are you even doing out of bed?" Rick asked, quickly deflecting the question.

Robert sighed, "I got cleared to start physio-baths to help bring more feeling back to my legs," he replied in a tired voice. "I also tried standing and ended up taking a step, but I'm tired."

Nodding, Rick peered inside the room just in time to see Lenny come out, "Uncle Bobby," Lenny spoke in a quiet voice. "The guy in the uniform got rough with my dad…"

"Well, Detective Tripp will help your dad deal with that as soon as he helps me get back into bed so I can have a nap," Robert replied kindly, sighing. "Rick, please don't go anywhere…"

Rick sighed and watched as Tripp wheeled Robert back into his room and helped him back into the hospital bed. A moment later, Tripp came out into the hallway and Rick sighed irritably.

"Do you need a police escort over to CSI?" Tripp asked quietly, eyeing Rick worriedly.

"We walked over from the nearby apartment complex," Rick replied stiffly. "I'm fine."

Tripp gave Rick a look, but Rick scoffed before looking to Lenny, "We're going to go home now," Rick spoke in a weak voice, his throat aching as he spoke. "Let's go."

"Dad…you're hurt," Lenny spoke nervously. "I think…you should get checked out."

Rick eyed Lenny and sighed irritably, "All right," he replied calmly. "We'll go home and get the car and go over to CSI if you really think I should say something about what happened."

Lenny nodded, "Do you mind if I go with you for safety?" Tripp asked in a quiet voice.

"Whatever," Rick replied stiffly, his anxiety rising. "Let's just get out of here."

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

"…We extubated him earlier and he immediately fell asleep," John heard a voice say as he felt a hand intertwine with his own. "His vitals are doing better, but he's still very weak…"

The hand felt coarse and unfamiliar, so John jerked his hand out of the grip and his eyes popped open. Immediately, several machines began to whine and he shot into a sitting position.

Bosco's eyes widened as John stared at him wide-eyed briefly before breaking down in shaky sobs. The doctor stepped back and Bosco silently held John in a very gentle embrace.

The sound of footsteps filled the air and John let go of Bosco just in time to see Danielle come into the room, "Mom…." John whispered, his throat aching as he struggled to move his arms.

"You dislocated your shoulder, baby," Danielle replied as she came over to him and gently embraced him before helping him lie back down. "You've got tubes in your lungs, lie down…"

John nodded and gagged, "My throat's sore," he gasped. "Everything hurts…"

Danielle reached for his right hand and held it, "You're okay," she spoke softly. "You are."

"McKeen made a video, but I stole it," John pled in a whisper. "A video of…everything."

Danielle nodded, as Mac had told her about the video and had said that it was secure in evidence, but had also said that John would mention it, "If you want to talk about it, I'm here," she spoke in a quiet, kind voice as she thought about how similar it seemed to her own hostage experience.

"I do, but it hurts to talk," John spoke softly. "Can…can you just sit with me?"

Danielle sighed, "Of course," she spoke softly. "You just try and sleep, all right?"

"You have…errands," John spoke, eyeing her. "Are they far?"

Danielle shook her head, "Just one, but it can wait," she replied gently. "It can wait…"

"I'll be fine til you do it," John replied softly. "I feel like it's important…"

Danielle sighed, "All right," she replied gently. "I'll be back in about an hour."

John sighed and quickly drifted off into a deep sleep. Danielle released his hand and rose.

"I have to go over to Ellen's and check her apartment today," Danielle spoke quietly.

Bosco scowled, "You're not going there without an escort," he replied firmly.

"Maurice, really, why do you think Ty is in the hall?" Danielle stated gently, giving her husband a look as they left the room. "My father and Yelina said the same thing and wanted to come, but I need their help looking after the other kids and Caira since nobody's going back to school this week."

Bosco nodded and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "Be careful," he replied. "I love you."

"Love you too," Danielle replied in a quiet voice, sighing. "We'll be back soon."

* * *

**_North Carolina_**

Dr. Price eyed Dr. Vatelli, Nick, Dr. Pride, and Ivan suspiciously as they entered the house, but didn't move to attack any of them. She didn't want to disturb Maritza, who was upstairs sleeping.

"I…I'm going to be sick," Nick moaned weakly, his body shaking with every step he took.

Ivan swore and made like he was going to strike Nick, but Dr. Pride grabbed his arm, "If you can't behave, Ivan, wait outside," she spoke in a firm voice, glaring daggers at him.

Nick's knees suddenly gave out, but Dr. Pride helped him stay on his feet, "Take him into the kitchen," Dr. Vatelli spoke in an anxious voice. "Ivan, go sit on the front steps."

"McKeen told me to watch Stokes and my ex like a hawk!" Ivan argued emphatically.

Dr. Vatelli scowled and Dr. Price got to her feet, "Do you need help with him?" Dr. Price asked in a concerned voice. "He's not as handsome as my Maurice was, but he looks in need…"

"Tara, Nick's barely aware of where he is," Dr. Vatelli spoke softly. "Do you want to help?"

Dr. Price shrugged and followed Dr. Vatelli into the kitchen, both of them becoming surprised when they saw that Nick was sitting at the kitchen table that had just been delivered that day, "I…I just bought that," Dr. Vatelli grumbled. "The old one had a bit of an accident and…"

"What happened to him?" Dr. Price asked in a concerned voice. "He looks really sick."

Nick coughed, "I…I was stabbed by Derek's wife," he managed to say weakly. "I feel sick."

"There's gingerale in the fridge," Dr. Vatelli spoke anxiously. "Make him drink some."

Dr. Price quickly got a bottle of gingerale out of the fridge and attempted to approach Nick, but he tensed up and gagged, "His brother assaulted him on the boat and he's in shock," Dr. Pride explained in a concerned voice as she lifted Nick's shirt. "His abdomen's not right…"

Dr. Vatelli eyed Nick's body, "Has he gone to the bathroom since he was stabbed?" he asked.

"Not that I know of, but I myself was unconscious for several hours after Derek Stokes turned his rage on me," Dr. Pride spoke anxiously. "Nick…did you manage to go to the bathroom?"

Nick shuddered, but managed to shake his head, "A laxative would kill him, but a colostomy wouldn't," Dr. Vatelli spoke quietly. "Is McKeen going to flip out about it, though?"

Just then, Ivan wandered into the kitchen with his phone in his hand, "McKeen is already screaming to get back," he spoke coldly. "What eez takeeing you so long een here?"

"Nick needs a colostomy surgery," Dr. Vatelli hissed angrily. "What did you idiots _do_?!"

Ivan scowled and promptly got on his phone, "McKeen, ve have a problem," he spoke as soon as a voice responded. "Leetle Stokes needs surgery and we need to get going…"

Shouting filled the phone and Ivan excused himself, "I'm going to die," Nick spoke weakly.

"McKeen says do it on the boat," Ivan said as he came back into the kitchen. "Ze surgery."

Dr. Vatelli scowled, but nodded because he knew McKeen would kill someone if he didn't get his way, "I've got supplies, but I can't leave Tara alone," he spoke in a quiet voice.

Ivan scoffed and spoke Russian into the phone for a few minutes before glaring at Dr. Vatelli, "McKeen says to hurry," he spoke coldly. "Get ze surgery done and get heem back to ze boat."

Dr. Price suddenly left the room and returned a few minutes later carrying a rugged looking army cot, "Put him on this," she spoke in a quiet voice. "I don't care if you take it."

Dr. Vatelli nodded as Dr. Price set up the cot, but Nick struggle to stay on the chair as Dr. Vatelli grabbed him, "Noooo," Nick moaned weakly, hating the fact that he was being touched.

Unfortunately, Nick was powerless to keep fighting and he ended up going into a semi-conscious stupor as he was forcibly moved from the chair to the cot, "Prep him," Dr. Vatelli commanded in an anxious voice as he went digging through the kitchen closet for the necessary supplies.

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

"I don't want to go in," Danielle spoke in a timid voice as she and Ty stood in front of the place that Ellen called her home. "Ellen wanted me to go inside, but I'm not sure I can."

Ty sighed, but nodded because he knew from growing up that even Danielle had limits and that he shouldn't press it, "I'm mad at Grissom for leaving me in charge of Ellen, but I can't hate him cause he has cancer and he helped me be what I am today," Danielle spoke anxiously. "I…"

Tears filled Danielle's eyes and she found herself crying, deeply surprised when Ty gave her a gentle hug, "Thanks," she spoke in a shaky voice as they pulled apart. "The attack on John is still really fresh, but at least I can be there for him. I couldn't be there when Maurice was…"

Ty nodded, as he and Bosco had patched things up, but he couldn't help but still worry simply because it was obvious that Bosco hadn't been the same after being attacked in Miami. As much as Bosco had loved street patrol over the years, he had all too readily accepted being at a desk and he was wary about strangers touching him; he didn't even like giving handshakes often.

"Well, I guess we should go in," Danielle spoke with a sigh. "Let's get it over with…"

Ty, however, wasn't listening because he had spotted something out of the corner of his eye when he was hugging Danielle and he was now watching two people coming closer to the house: they looked familiar, but why would they be coming there? Especially after what they had done.?

"Ty?" Danielle spoke softly, frowning as she turned and saw Ty staring down the road. "What?"

Danielle froze as she suddenly recognized Emily, who looked visibly pregnant, and an anxious looking Charlie holding a phone in his hand, "It's the police!" Charlie exclaimed, suddenly spotting Ty. "Emily, run!"

Emily, however, stood stock still as she stared at Danielle anxiously, "Emily!" Charlie exclaimed, wondering why Emily wasn't running. "You…you're wanted by the cops!"

"I…I don't feel right," Emily spoke in a quiet voice. "Charlie, you need to call…"

Charlie's eyes widened as Emily touched her stomach before collapsing to her knees. Danielle's paramedic instinct quickly kicked in and she ran over to them with Ty at her heels. Charlie stepped back with his phone recording everything while Danielle knelt next to Emily.

"She's not breathing!" Danielle exclaimed as she checked Emily. "Davis, call 9-1-1 NOW!"

Ty obeyed while Danielle quickly began doing CPR, taking care to be gentle because it was obvious that Emily was pregnant and she didn't want to harm the baby or Emily. Within minutes, an ambulance arrived and the paramedics were surprised, but ultimately pleased to see Danielle there and doing the job she had been trained to do. Charlie and Ty, however, looked terrified.

The paramedics quickly got their gear out and joined Danielle in trying to save Emily's life.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

Grissom's luggage hadn't been hard to gather up and move, but Horatio had firmly insisted that they help Ryan move Grissom to the hospital district instead of leaving him on his own. He cared about Grissom, but he had also been given a heads-up by Tripp about a uniform attacking Rick at the hospital where Robert was at and he knew he needed to speak to Rick about pressing some sort of charges. He had left Calleigh, Tim, and Walter at the lab while bringing Eric and Jesse.

Natalia was off work that day and was at the hospital visiting Robert with BJ, Maggie, and Adam, but she and Emily had arranged for Grissom to have a beach view, ground-floor apartment so he would be comfortable. Grissom had been brought over to the apartment straight from the hospital before sunup and he was now resting and unaware of the team's help.

Now, while Ryan sat in Grissom's apartment to keep an eye on the man while he rested, Horatio found himself lingering at the door to Rick's apartment. He had gotten the address out of a reluctant Ryan and had promised the younger man he would personally make sure all was well.

Tripp, Horatio knew, had been told to leave by Rick once they had gotten to the apartment, but Tripp had simply pretended to leave before returning with his plain car. All of the CSI's knew he was there, but they weren't discussing it. Horatio, however, was relieved he had chosen to stay.

"…Dad, I made you a sandwich," Lenny's anxious voice suddenly filled the air. "Dad?"

Horatio's eyes widened as a retching sound suddenly filled the air, "Rick?" he called out.

There was whispering and the door suddenly opened, revealing Rick standing there with bad bruising on his neck, "What?" he asked crossly. "I told Tripp to get lost and I'll tell you too…"

"Frank told me about the incident at the hospital, Rick," Horatio replied calmly, frowning.

Rick scoffed, "Nobody's going to go to bat for me," he replied coldly. "Lenny and I are moving."

Lenny suddenly came over to the door, "Dad?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"Lenny, go pack some clothes," Rick spoke anxiously. "We need to go hide somewhere?"

Horatio's eyes narrowed, "Hide from who?" he asked in a concerned voice.

Rick sighed irritably, "I homeschool Lenny in my office and we went to lunch today, but Dan Cooper spotted us and followed," he replied softly. "He knows where we are and I know he's going to tell Bernard's associates. I'm sure they're already on their way here with Nick Stokes."

"Derek Stokes, Ivan Sarnoff, and Jeffrey McKeen were associates of Bernard Marquez?" Horatio asked in a surprised voice, his expression concerned. "Rick, why didn't you tell anyone?"

Rick scoffed, "You and your precious CSI's hate my guts, but I have a son to think about," he replied in an upset voice. "If you get in the way, you'll be endangering members of your team. I already compensated Speedle's brother for protecting Lenny from what Sackheim wanted…"

"So Tony Speedle _rescued_ Lenny from Sackheim?" Horatio asked sternly.

Rick nodded, "I met Tony while undercover and shared my dilemma, but I did _not_ ask him to go rescue Lenny himself," he hissed. "Tony put his health at risk to do it. Wolfe's the same way…"

Horatio raised an eyebrow, "Protecting Jill Adams because she's due to testify in New York in June," Rick hissed. "Tony Speedle and Ryan Wolfe have no regard for their own safety…"

"I…I told Ryan not to do that on his own anymore," Horatio replied, deeply surprised.

Rick scoffed and closed the door in Horatio's face, prompting Horatio to quietly return to Grissom's apartment. He knocked on the door, fully expecting Ryan to still be there.

There was quiet shuffling and the door opened to reveal a groggy looking Grissom, "Doctor Grissom, is Ryan still here?" Horatio asked in a concerned voice. "Did I wake you?"

Grissom stepped aside to let Horatio in, "Ryan caught me as I was waking up and said he had to run a personal errand," Grissom spoke weakly. "I…I really don't need a babysitter now that I'm out of the hospital. I have what I need and I know how to better manage this now."

"Doctor Grissom, I'm afraid you might be in danger seeing as one of my former employees, Dan Cooper, knows of this location and he is connected to dangerous people," Horatio replied softly.

Grissom sighed, "Wasn't Dan Cooper involved in your kidnapping?" he asked quietly, sighing. "I know I'm supposed to testify in your hearing next month, but I don't know how well that will…"

"You got subpoenaed?" Horatio asked softly, concerned. "I thought Ryan had investigated that."

Grissom nodded as Horatio came inside, "I was Ryan's supervisor and I took a lot of heat for events last fall and winter," Grissom replied. "I left Sara to protect her from my trouble. I don't think she knows that I'm testifying as to what our lab did to investigate your kidnapping."

Horatio nodded and silently got his phone out, "I think I'll phone Ryan and make sure he isn't in trouble," he spoke as he dialled the number. "I don't want your sacrifices to be in vain."

"_Wolfe_," a quiet, tired voice spoke after one ring. "_Horatio, I didn't know you had this_…"

Horatio sighed, "Ryan, Doctor Grissom said you left to run an errand," he spoke softly. "I believe we already discussed the Jill Adams situation and I told you to involve the rest of us…"

"_Um, Tim and I are actually at a family function_," Ryan replied quietly. "_The news of McKeen's posse' escaping New York with hostages frightened Jill enough that she pushed up her and Tony's wedding. We, Emily, Jill's parents, and the Speedles are over at the courthouse…"_

Horatio's eyes widened, as he hadn't expected Jill to hear of McKeen's movements so quickly, "All right, Ryan," he replied calmly. "I expect a full report once you and Tim are done."

There was a click and Horatio sighed, "It seems that McKeen's movements frightened Jill Adams enough into accelerating her wedding plans to Tony Speedle and I think that's for the best, as it will keep them both out of trouble," he commented softly. "It will also help you worry less."

Grissom nodded and quickly sank into a nearby chair, "Oh, I still have plenty of worries," he spoke in a tired voice. "I have to get my strength up, though, so I can go testify…"

"Or you can tell Ryan the truth about the responsibility you put on yourself and let him decide whether or not he wants to share about what he did for the investigation," Horatio replied.

Grissom scoffed, "You know as well as I do, Lieutenant Caine, that the Wolfe Family has already been dragged through the mud in New York and I have no desire to bring more scrutiny on to Ryan or his family," he replied firmly, his expression serious. "I'm very much aware of Ryan's past because I had to investigate it before I hired him, but it can stay safely in the past."

"Are you well enough to testify?" Horatio repeated in a firm voice. "You don't look it."

Grissom gave Horatio a look as he retreated to a chair and sat down, "I'm stronger than I look," he spoke in a quiet, tired voice. "I'm simply letting Ryan mother-hen me as much as he has been because I want him to stop feeling guilty about Sofia. It's our unspoken agreement."

Horatio nodded, "I'll let you get some rest," he replied, sensing Grissom's need to be alone.

Before Grissom could reply, Horatio left simply because he didn't want to engage in more conversation about the hearing in New York. It was hard enough for him to think about it.

As Horatio made his way out of the building, he spotted Rick driving a car containing himself and Lenny out of the parking lot. Tripp was watching from his car, looking slightly annoyed.

* * *

Ryan sighed as he pocketed the phone and made his way back inside the courthouse. He had hurriedly excused himself when Horatio had called and he knew he was in for a lecture later. Jill, however, had phoned him early that morning and had asked him to come witness her and Tony's wedding because she felt safer with him around. Her close relatives also felt safer with him there.

What Ryan hadn't known, though, was Tim and Emily had taken lunch breaks and brought their kids to the wedding. Diana was still in Vegas visiting Jenny and Tommy hadn't wanted Jason or Emilio to go anywhere, as he needed help babysitting Carlos that day since Ryan was busy.

Ever since the word got out about McKeen's escape from New York, Tommy had been on edge and hadn't left the house. Ryan had done his best to be there for his family, but even he couldn't really understand what Tommy had been through in prison and before they reconciled.

"Ryan?"

Ryan turned to see Tim, Emily, William and Victoria Adams, and the other Speedles except for Jill and Tony coming out of the courthouse, "Sorry, I had a call," he apologized softly.

"We got plenty of photos and everyone is on our way to the Family Centre for the reception, but I have to head back to work," Tim explained softly. "Are you on duty today too? I forget…"

Ryan shook his head, "I was just hanging with Doctor Grissom," he replied quietly. "I should really get either back there or home, though. My brother isn't doing well…"

Tim frowned, but waited til everyone else passed before he spoke, "Why?" he asked softly.

"I don't know, but I think it has something to do with McKeen's escape from New York," Ryan replied quietly, pasting a smile on his face as Jill and Tony came out in wedding clothes.

Tim nodded and they moved aside so Jill and Tony could pass by them, "You should let H know what's going on with your brother," he spoke quietly. "If McKeen tries to find him…"

Just then, Jill came over to them, "Officer Wolfe?" she asked softly. "Can we talk?"

Tim silently moved away to give them privacy, "Thank you," Jill spoke anxiously as she touched her growing belly. "With McKeen and his cronies loose, I thought it best to secure my life."

Ryan nodded and sighed as Jill walked off with Tony towards the waiting well-wishers.

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

Danielle sat alone in the waiting room, her thoughts on how she had helped Emily even though she would have been perfectly justified in not doing so. It was horrible to think that she could have left Emily to suffer, but part of her thought of it when she and Ty had first spotted Emily and Charlie, but her heart and Maurice's attachment to the Yokas kids wouldn't let her do it.

Upon reaching the hospital, Emily had been whisked away and Ty had decided to take Charlie to call his mother. Danielle had stayed close to the action and was waiting to see what the outcome would be. She didn't know where Emily had come from, but she was conflicted because while Emily had hurt John, she also appeared very pregnant, scared, and in a state of confusion.

Nearly two hours had passed before Danielle finally decided to text Maurice and tell him what was going on, as he and John were probably wondering where she was. As she was opening her purse, however, Carlos came into the waiting room wearing scrub pants, a loose shirt, and a sweater with a badge on his pocket and a stethoscope around his neck.

"Uh, hey," Carlos spoke nervously. "Do you know if Emily's mom is here yet?"

Danielle looked surprised, "What are you doing here, Carlos?" she asked quietly.

Carlos sighed, "Detective Taylor pulled some strings and got me registered for casual Nursing shifts throughout the summer at hospitals around the city," he replied nervously. "Caira and Christine Whitney testified that I kept a cool head and should be allowed to resume my duties as a paramedic, but I don't want to do that anymore. It reminds me too much of what happened…"

Danielle nodded, deeply impressed with Caira's kindness towards Carlos even though she didn't know him or his family very well, "Holly's still on bed rest?" she asked in a worried voice.

"Yeah, but Tommy and Kylie help her out when I'm not there," Carlos replied in a calmer voice as he sat down next to Danielle. "We're hoping to make it to June so it will be full-term and then once it's born, we're done. I don't think I could father any more because of the drugs used…"

Carlos exhaled softly, "Um, anyway, no word on Faith?" he asked nervously, calming himself.

"Davis took Charlie to go call her, but I have no idea where they are now," Danielle replied.

Carlos nodded as Faith suddenly came into the waiting room with an anxious looking Charlie, Jo, and Mac, "Where's Emily?" Charlie spoke tearfully. "My mom freaked out when…"

Danielle sighed as she got up, "I haven't heard anything," she replied quietly.

"Charlie said he filmed you saving Emily's life, Mrs. Boscorelli," Mac spoke up calmly.

Faith looked surprised, as she had heard that from Charlie, but didn't believe that Danielle would help the person who nearly killed John, "Faith, there's something you should know," Danielle spoke in a nervous voice. "Emily appeared several months pregnant…"

"Las Vegas determined that the person who married Derek Stokes and your daughter is not a priest, so the marriage wasn't real," Jo spoke up. "I know this news is difficult to hear."

Faith sighed heavily and Danielle looked uneasy, "Tell John not to feel guilty over this and not to feel as if he should have done more than he wanted to," Mac spoke softly, eyeing Danielle.

"This isn't John's fault," Faith interrupted. "Emily made her own choices…"

Danielle sighed, "I'd like to get back over to Angel of Mercy," she replied firmly. "I was checking Ellen Seville's house at her request and I'm sure Maurice and John wonder…"

"I can give you a ride," Jo offered. "I need your side of the story anyway."

Danielle looked reluctant, but nodded, "Thanks," she replied in a tired voice.

* * *

_**Angel of Mercy Hospital – Manhattan**_

"Sergeant Boscorelli?"

Bosco, who had been watching John sleep since Danielle and Ty had left, looked up from his adopted son's sleeping form and was surprised to see Caira lingering there on crutches wearing sweats, a loose shirt with a hoodie, and a sneaker on one foot, "How'd you get here?" he asked.

"Mrs. Sullivan put the babies down for naps before taking a rest and Mr. Sullivan took Ray, David, and Ellie to the park," Caira spoke softly. "I found these in the coat closet."

Bosco sighed, "So nobody knows where you are?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"I left a note," Caira replied quietly. "I couldn't go any longer without seeing him."

Bosco looked concerned, "If you wanted to visit John, you could have told someone and they could have brought you," he said in a worried voice. "How much was your cab fare?"

"I…I walked," Caira spoke in a nervous voice. "It was kind of hard on these…"

Bosco looked worried as Caira looked uneasy, "What's up?" he asked quietly, suddenly feeling like something wasn't right with the girl. "Your behavior and demeanor's very strange…"

"My brother's being assessed to see whether or not he's competent to face charges for what happened to Lieutenant Caine and he thinks he's going to jail," Caira spoke quietly. "He's very paranoid and he's worried DB will simply let him go. I think he might have a mental illness…"

Bosco nodded, "Colin wants me to come take over his care because DB's wife is trying to push DB to make Colin a ward of the state, but I can't handle that responsibility," Caira spoke in an anxious voice. "I told him that and Colin's worried he'll be left to fend for himself."

"What did this DB guy say?" Bosco asked softly. "I'm sure you talked to him."

Caira nodded, "DB says he's not going to give up on helping Colin get well and DB has never lied to me before, but Colin doesn't understand how to trust," she spoke worriedly. "We were both badly abused and he never got help because he was of age by the time anyone did anything about it and the system sucks. I got counseling because I was 13 and still a minor…"

Bosco nodded as John suddenly stirred, "…voices," John mumbled weakly. "Who's there?"

Caira silently hobbled over to the bed and sat down beside it, "Hey," she spoke gently.

John's eyes opened and he peered at Caira, "You're blurry," he spoke groggy. "Caira?"

"Just close your eyes," Caira replied softly, touching his hand. "Do you feel that?"

John exhaled, "Yes," he spoke weakly. "Can you stay a while?"

Without looking at Bosco, Caira sighed, "Yes," she replied in a firm voice. "You can sleep."

"We're going to have a conversation about this later," Bosco spoke calmly, but firmly.

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

"…_I like Greg a lot, but he's on edge more than usual_," Greg heard Jillian's voice speak as he lay in bed, trying to catch up on sleep he had missed while working doubles to cover Nick's shifts.

There was a sigh, "_Greg is covering Nick's shifts and has been working a lot, but Greg is a good man_," Jenny's voice replied calmly. "_I love him and I'm so grateful that he's part of me_."

"_Maybe it would have been better if you would have taken Nick up on his offer because Greg needs to be here for you and your kids more_," Jillian replied. "_Being at work all of the time and not having a proper place for you or for the kids isn't the way I want things to be_…"

Anger filled Greg as he got out of bed and stormed into the common area, his fury growing when he saw that Jillian was feeding Jessica while Jenny was cuddling Matthew, "Get _out_," he hissed.

Jenny looked confused and Jillian's eyes widened, "Excuse me?" Jillian asked, deeply shocked.

"I was trying to sleep and I heard you trashing me to Jenny!" Greg snapped, his calmness gone.

Jillian scoffed, "You work all hours and you live in a hotel!" she replied angrily as Diana, who had been stirred from sleep by Greg's yelling. "I'm beginning to think clearing the way for you to adopt Jessica was a mistake! You're a workaholic who doesn't even have a proper house! Not only that, but you're a recovering alcoholic who lives in close proximity to a bar!"

Diana scowled at Jillian and Greg suddenly felt numb. He silently returned to his and Jenny's room, gathered his wallet and phone, put some travelling clothes on, and went out into the foyer.

"Um, I'm going to go for a walk," Greg spoke quietly. "I need to clear my head."

Jenny looked horrified and Diana looked angry, but Greg silently turned and left the suite before anyone could speak, "Jillian, I want you and Bill to leave," Jenny spoke softly. "As soon as you can. I don't need anyone trying to say Nick would be better for me than my own husband is."

"We can't leave until we know what's happened to Nick and Derek," Jillian replied angrily.

Diana sighed, "If you can't leave, then I'll ask you and your husband not to bother Jenny anymore," she replied in a firm voice. "Go back to the suite you and your husband have."

"Jessica is my grandchild and Derek's daughter and I have a right to see her!" Jillian cried.

Diana scowled, "My husband and I both own this hotel, though, and I am telling you to go back to your suite before I have you and Bill ejected from the premises," she replied firmly.

Giving Jenny an angry look, Diana set the jar of baby food down and silently left the suite, "Greg can't have gotten far," Jenny spoke worriedly. "Would you mind if I went and looked for him?"

Diana smiled as Jenny got her things and left the suite to look for Greg. Fortunately for Jenny, Greg hadn't gotten far and he was crying near the elevator as he was waiting for it to come.

"Greg, don't listen to Jillian," Jenny spoke in a concerned voice as she hugged him. "Please."

Greg sighed softly and accepted the hug, "I hate that they still compare me to Nick and say he'd be better for you and Jessica," he admitted softly. "I have lots and lots of flaws…"

"Nick reminds me of my past, but you are my present and future, Gregory Hojem Sanders," Jenny replied in a compassionate voice, kissing him. "You are a pleasant present."

Warmth filled Greg as he returned the kiss and allowed himself to bask in Jenny's warmth even if it was just for a moment. He was exhausted, but having her around made everything easier.

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

"Maurice, what is Caira doing here?" Caira heard a concerned, familiar voice ask as she lay asleep in the chair next to John's bed. "If she took a taxi, please reimburse her…"

Caira opened her eyes and was surprised to see Danielle back and talking with Bosco, "She hobbled here on her crutches while Yelina and the babies napped," Bosco replied in a concerned voice as he turned to look at her. "Next time you want to visit, just ask for a ride."

"I'm sorry I worried you, Sergeant Boscorelli," Caira replied softly. "Are you upset?"

Bosco looked taken aback, but Danielle remained calm as she walked over to Caira, "Maurice is not angry with you," she explained gently. "He and I are concerned because you hobbled here on your crutches instead of taking a cab or asking for a ride. You're still recovering from your own injury and you need to take it as easy as possible. You wanting to be self-reliant like this even if it's dangerous is not a good way of coping with what happened. Do you understand that?"

Caira looked surprised and tears filled her eyes, "You're so much like Doctor Grissom, it's scary," she replied in a shaky voice. "I…I'm having nightmares about what happened…"

Danielle nodded and gave Caira a hug before drying her tears with her sleeve. It was then that Caira noticed that John's bed was empty and she immediately gave Bosco a panicked look.

"John went to get his eyes checked cause he's been having vision issues," Bosco replied calmly, sighing. "Stuff like that is more complicated for a diabetic and he's worried about it."

Caira nodded, "He knows you came here and he's grateful, but he also wants you to rest," Bosco spoke in a gentle, but firm voice. "I think it's time you came back to the apartment and rested. I am heading home anyway while Danielle stays with John. Do you want a ride back?"

Swallowing hard, Caira sighed, "I am a bit tired," she replied softly, shaking as she stood up.

Danielle nodded and watched as Bosco led Caira from the room in silence. A few moments later, Danielle suddenly felt her phone vibrating in her pocket and so she got it out and checked it.

_Mom,_

_The hospital ophthalmologist says I need glasses at least temporarily because of my injuries affecting my vision. I know you're busy, but can you please come be with me?_

_John_

Without hesitation, Danielle pocketed her phone and quickly made her way to the hospital's ophthalmology department. She found John sitting in the waiting area in his wheelchair looking tired and irritated, "Hey," Danielle spoke softly. "I got your text about you needing glasses…"

John sighed and Danielle sat next to him, unsurprised when he started crying softly. She gently hugged him and said nothing while he cried, as she knew he needed to get his emotions out.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

Jill and Tony's reception was now in full swing at The Family Centre, but Emily found herself at the Crime Lab/Police Department because she had gotten a text from a member of the department needing an emergency counselling session. She hadn't hesitated to go the department and had left her children at the party with Anthony and Rosa so that there wouldn't be any distractions around. Tim and Ryan were both busy with work, so they couldn't babysit.

As Emily approached the offices, she was surprised to see Horatio waiting quietly for her. She quickly opened the office and let him come inside, closing the door before either spoke.

"I have the paperwork for New York on my desk and I meant to get to it today, but Jill and Tony decided to get married in a hurry, so I didn't have time," Emily explained as she sat down at her desk. "If you're here for that, I can have it done up in a hurry."

Horatio looked surprised at the mention of a wedding, "Well, that explains where Speed was, but I knew Ryan was there," he replied calmly. "I take it this is because of Nick Stokes?"

Emily nodded, "Jill and Tony felt it was safer to marry now," she replied softly as she picked up the paperwork. "Since this involved cross-jurisdictions, this is considered a federal case…"

Horatio sighed, "I'm not worried about your ability to get the paperwork in on time, but I would like a therapy session," he replied softly. "I visited Doctor Grissom today to alert him to the fact that Dan Cooper knows where the safehouse in the hospital district is. Dan Cooper…"

"Sergeant Stetler sent me a text saying he was taking the rest of the day off for personal reasons, but wouldn't say why," Emily spoke in a concerned voice. "That must be why."

Horatio nodded, "There was an incident earlier today, but I don't have all the details," he replied in a concerned voice. "Anyway, when I was visiting Doctor Grissom, he told me he's been subpoenaed to testify next month in New York and I'm not sure he's well enough to do so. I don't see how it's his responsibility when he did everything he could to be of help."

Emily paused, unsure of what to say, as Grissom hadn't specifically asked her for counselling and hadn't said much at all to her since his arrival in Miami. She could tell, however, that recent events had taken their toll on him and he probably would benefit from someone to talk to.

"Any reminders of what happened are unsettling to me and I don't like being reminded of what happened, but that's not going to hold up in court," Horatio spoke with a sigh, his expression troubled. "I don't have nightmares as often, but Bobby being injured didn't help with the anxiety I feel sometimes when I'm working alone at scenes. That's why I've been cutting back."

Emily nodded and quickly got Horatio's file out of her drawer, "He was going to go with me before he got shot because he has other business there, but we talked when he was lucid and we'll take care of that business of his later in the year when he's well. The decision, however, reminds me that I'll truly be alone in the end," Horatio said. "Like I was for a while…"

Horatio suddenly looked uneasy and closed his eyes, "I thought I was going to die on that farm in Vegas and I was accepting it, but then John showed up," he replied softly. "He's going to have to testify too despite the fact that he was nearly killed by McKeen and several others recently and I'm not able to wrap my mind around the fact that he helped me. Why did he do that when he didn't have to? He could have escaped by himself and been fine, but he took me with him…"

"That's something you're going to have to ask John, but the point is that he helped you and you're here because he helped you," Emily replied. "Do you think you're superhuman and shouldn't feel emotions associated with what you've been through? Those emotions are normal and you're taking steps to deal with them so they won't cripple your ability to function."

Horatio looked thoughtful, "Grissom seems very determined to protect your family in general, Emily," he spoke softly. "He said that the Wolfe Family has been dragged through the mud enough in New York and that's why he's testifying and not wanting to involve Ryan. I told Doctor Grissom that Ryan should be given the choice as to whether or not he testifies."

"I didn't think he was aware of it, but I guess Ryan's background needed to be investigated because of his move to Vegas PD," Emily spoke in a quiet voice. "I hope it's not offensive."

Horatio shook his head, "This has actually been quite helpful," he replied quietly. "I won't have you in New York, but you've given me the courage to open up to Stella and on the stand…"

Emily smiled, "And how are things going with Stella?" she asked in a kind voice.

"We email and we call when we're not busy with our work," Horatio replied in a lighter voice, a small smile appearing on his lips. "I'll be staying with her when I go to New York because it will be less expensive and I'll have someone to comfort me. This trial will be very rough."

Emily nodded as Horatio's beeper went off, "Ah, work," he said as he checked it. "Excuse me."

A quiet settled over the office as Horatio left and Emily quickly made a few more notes in Horatio's file before putting it away. She then got on her computer to check the nation-wide police alert site because Dr. Stokes was fretting over Nick enough that she had been in for a session about it the other day, but nobody knew when or if the young man would be okay.

* * *

_**North Carolina**_

"So what are we supposed to do with him now?" Derek growled as he watched Dr. Pride and Dr. Vatelli settle a sedated Nick in a corner of the cargo hold after operating on him.

McKeen scoffed as Dr. Vatelli quickly left the cargo hold, "Do _nothing_," Dr. Vatelli hissed, glaring daggers at Derek. "Nick has just had surgery and needs rest. _Leave him alone_."

Derek growled and looked like he wanted to fight, but McKeen shot him a look and led Dr. Vatelli back to the dock, "Keep it quiet," McKeen hissed as he got back on the boat.

As the boat pulled away from the dock, Dr. Vatelli swallowed hard. He had been in deep danger ever since getting involved in Horatio Caine and Maritza Boscorelli's kidnappings, but it was no longer a thrill for him. He just wanted to cut all ties with everyone and go back to the simplicity of practicing medicine; all he had to do was find a way to make that happen safely.

* * *

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	15. Damage Control

_**One Day Later**_

_**Miami, Florida**_

Grissom sighed heavily as he gazed out at the horizon, his heart heavy and his body weak after being switched to radiation treatment. He was also weary of Sara's constant emails that she kept getting shifts and Ecklie was trying to hire her back full-time, as the lab needed the help. She also missed him and wanted to visit him.

_As much as I want to see my family, I'm in too much grief to care about anyone visiting me. _Grissom thought to himself. His apartment had a gate out on to a patch of beach and it looked inviting, but he didn't feel like doing anything but meditating.

Letting out another sigh, Grissom got up and went inside. He gathered his things, put his shoes on, and went out to the common area to snatch the daily crossword puzzle before going on a much needed walk. He was surprised to find Jesse Cardoza sitting on the couch, silently playing checkers with a tired looking Walter Simmons.

"Oh, hello," Grissom spoke calmly. "Um, I was looking for the crossword…"

Walter grabbed the day's paper off the table and handed it to Grissom, "Did we get more security here?" Grissom asked in a confused voice, eyeing Walter.

"I'm the low-man at the lab and the pay for a Level 1 isn't great, so I take the nightshift so Jesse can sleep," Walter replied warmly. "Walter Simmons, sir."

Grissom nodded and Walter smiled, "I think I've read some of your articles in the biology classes I took," Walter continued. "I heard you were in Miami. Are you…?"

"I'm not teaching," Grissom spoke softly. "I'm currently undergoing treatment for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and I just did my first session of radiation yesterday after chemo proved too hard on me. I'd _really_ appreciate it if you didn't drool over me."

Jesse sighed and looked at the ground, but Walter looked concerned, "You look like you're going for a walk," Walter replied. "Did you want some company?"

"I have to drag myself to New York in June to testify in a federal kidnapping case and so I need to build my strength up," Grissom replied softly. "Besides, you look busy."

Walter shook his head, "I don't work today," he replied calmly. "I was gonna go visit my buddy Bobby at the hospital after my shift here. Besides, you look a bit tired."

Grissom studied Walter briefly and decided that the younger man wasn't trying to be pushy or coddle him; he genuinely looked concerned and wanted to be of help.

"I suppose that would be all right," Grissom replied softly, a sigh in his voice.

Walter nodded, "I have to go get ready for work," Jesse spoke as he stood up.

Grissom silently walked out of the apartment building and Walter followed, keeping watch on how Grissom moved and was prepared to help if he faltered in his step.

"Is there a dock around here?" Grissom asked softly. "The sea air helps with nausea."

Walter nodded, "It's not far from here," he replied. "Follow me."

Grissom kept quiet as Walter led him down the road to a nearby dock that was secure, yet close enough to the water that he could smell it, "This was built in case boaters have medical emergencies and Rescue can't get to them by water," Walter explained in a calm voice. "The boat can get here and an ambulance can meet them…"

Instead of listening, however, Grissom was leaning against the fence and silently inhaling the sea air. Walter fell silent and allowed the man his needed peace.

"I should make a video for my kids and for Sara so they don't worry," Grissom spoke in a quiet voice as he pulled out his phone. "Do you mind holding the phone?"

Walter took the phone and set up the video, "I'm not really good at this sort of thing, but I just wanted to say that it's beautiful here and I miss all of you," Grissom spoke in a quiet voice. "Mom, Sara, I hope you two and Danielle and my two Gregs are okay…."

The sound of a boat engine suddenly filled the air and Walter frowned as a boat suddenly sped past the dock and two heavyset men hurled a hooded figure off of the boat and on to the sand, "STOP!" a voice suddenly roared. "Is that…_Grissom_?!"

Grissom turned as the boat suddenly stopped and McKeen came out on to the deck brandishing a gun, "Well, well, well," McKeen spoke in an amused voice, a manic smirk on his face as he eyed Grissom. "Gil Grissom the failure…in Miami…"

A heavily battered woman suddenly leapt off the side of the boat and landed in a heap on the sand next to Nick. Loud cursing in a foreign language filled the air and one of the men made to leap after her, but McKeen held him back from leaving the boat. He then aimed his gun at the hooded figure while keeping his eyes on Grissom. Others on the boat suddenly appeared and threw two suitcases and a purse on to the sand.

"Why do you want to shoot him, Jeffrey?" Grissom asked coldly.

McKeen swore, hesitated, and trained his gun on Grissom, "I'd honestly make a better hostage than those two," Grissom spoke calmly as he raised his hands in the air.

"I don't buy it," McKeen growled as the boat began to drift. "You're playing games."

Walter, meanwhile, was reaching for his phone, but McKeen spotted him, "You want me to blast your hand off?" he asked in a cold voice. "What is that other phone?"

Grissom coughed and McKeen eyed him before moving the gun away from Walter, "You wanna be a hostage and save others, Grissom?" McKeen asked. "Prove it."

Walter's eyes widened in shock as Grissom moved down the dock and willingly climbed on to the boat. McKeen swore, slugged Grissom in the head, and as Grissom slumped to the deck, the boat took off at top speed without any hesitation.

Shaking, Walter ended the recording, pocketed Grissom's phone, and ran over to where Dr. Pride was struggling to get the hood off of Nick's head with her bruised, shaking hands, "Hey, my name is Walter Simmons, and I'm a CSI," he said softly.

Dr. Pride didn't reply, so Walter removed the hood and his eyes widened when he saw a semi-conscious Nick Stokes staring back at him with blackened eyes and bruises and cuts on every inch of his pale face, "Walter?!" a voice suddenly called out.

Walter looked up from Nick and saw Jesse standing beside a car parked at the side of the road, "Call 9-1-1 and Horatio NOW!" Walter spoke, his voice full of anxiety.

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

The chest tubes were now out, but John was still in the hospital to heal from other injuries and the catastrophically low blood sugar that had come out of his encounter with McKeen, Derek Stokes, and Emily Yokas. He was feeling physically better, but emotionally was another story. Fortunately for him, he had a supportive family.

"Look at this sleepin' beauty here," a familiar voice suddenly spoke with a chuckle.

John opened his eyes and was surprised to find his mother and Danny Messer standing at the foot of his bed. Danny was holding a stack of books in his arms.

"I got these for you from the hospital library," Danny spoke in a quiet voice as he set the stack on the portable table. "Those glasses of yours make you look smarter…"

John sighed, "Thanks," he spoke quietly. "They might be a permanent thing."

"I got glasses and they don't make me any less capable," Danny replied in a gentle, but firm voice. "Just take your time recovering from what happened, okay? The trial's coming and you need all your strength for that. I'll be there if I can sneak away…"

Danielle walked over to the side of the bed and sat down just as Stu and Jimmy came into the room, "Jimmy, Stu, it's been a while," she spoke softly. "Here to see John?"

"Actually, I just got promoted to Holly's position temporarily while she's on maternity leave and so I'm your boss for a while," Jimmy spoke calmly. "Stu's higher up on the food chain and since we know you, we wanted to come talk to you."

Danielle frowned and Danny looked concerned, "You never let anyone know you had a Bachelor's degree in Health Sciences from UNLV," Stu spoke calmly.

"Grissom paid for it back when I was a secretary at the lab and farmed out Warrick, Nick, and Greg to babysit when I had to tend to school," Danielle spoke in a quiet voice, sighing. "He saw my passion for helping others and gave me opportunity."

Jimmy looked amused, but Danielle scoffed, "The day shift in FDNY was the best I could do considering I had kids in school and was a single parent at the time," she explained in a quiet voice. "Now that I'm married and a mother to three more kids, I teach from time to time, but I can't see myself returning to full-time street work."

"Any word on Maritza, by the way?" Jimmy asked in a quieter voice.

Danielle shook her head, "We have to hope that she's still alive, though, simply because it kills Maurice to consider otherwise," she spoke firmly. "Anyway, what do you two want? It's quite unusual for you two to show up here to want to talk to me."

Stu smiled, "Faith put in a request with FDNY after she saw her son's video of you saving her daughter's life," he replied formally. "She wants you to get an award and also be promoted to Lieutenant. Considering what you did, the requirements…"

"Lieutenants have to be at scenes," Danielle replied. "I have several children…"

Jimmy sighed, "It would be a rank of Lieutenant, but you'd be in charge of EMS Instructors and Training programs," he explained. "You wouldn't have to go out on the street except in the case of a very dire emergency because of your situation."

"I…I need to talk to my family about this," Danielle replied quietly. "A lot's going on right now and this is big enough news that we need to discuss this as a family."

John immediately recognized the expression on his mother's face, "Hey, Mom, I was thinking about having a shower," he spoke quietly. "Do you think I could?"

Danielle nodded and Jimmy and Stu exchanged a look, "Just call one of us when you decide," Jimmy spoke softly, recognizing what John was trying to do. "See you."

Once Jimmy and Stu were gone, however, John sighed, "Feel better, Mom?" he asked.

Danielle nodded and Danny looked confused, "So the shower thing…" he began.

"My mom has never been one to like praise or accolades," John replied in a quiet, tired voice. "I read about how Mom saved Emily Yokas's life in the paper and I knew she would hate the attention. The mention of a promotion and award made her…"

Danny frowned, "As much as your family's been in the news…" he replied softly.

"My former husband was a police Lieutenant and did despicable things and if I accept more responsibility in my career, I'm afraid I'll turn into him," Danielle spoke in a quiet voice, her expression sad. "Obsessed with power, abusive, controlling, angry…"

Danny looked concerned, "I know we just barely found out that we share a mother, but as your brother, I don't think you're any of those things," he replied calmly.

Danielle shrugged, "We're not getting into that discussion right now, but we will talk about it during our weekly sibling bonding time," she spoke in a firm voice.

Danny nodded, "Thanks for the books, Detective Messer," John spoke softly.

"No problem," Danny replied calmly. "Hey, my break's over, but I'll be back…"

Danielle let out a sigh of relief as Danny left the room without pressing for more information, "I'm sorry about that, Mom," John spoke softly. "If I had known…"

"You can't always be the hero for everyone, honey," Danielle spoke in a kind voice as she patted his arm reassuringly. "I'll probably find a meeting to go to later if there's time, but I'm content sitting here for right now. We'll need a family council, I guess."

John nodded and sighed weakly, "I'm tired already," he spoke softly. "It sucks."

Danielle nodded, "Get some rest, kiddo," she replied softly. "I'll be here."

* * *

_**Miami, Florida**_

The sight of a battered Nick Stokes laying on a gurney unconscious and intubated truly frightened Horatio because it reminded of him where he had been at just months earlier. Everyone from both shifts was now either on scene or on their way there.

Bags lay scattered across the sand, as did blood, and Walter and Jesse were talking to Tripp about what had happened. Uniforms who were not assigned to the scene were out looking for the boat that now held Grissom and the Coast Guard was preparing.

Tim, Eric, Ryan, and Calleigh, were all photographing and collecting evidence from the sand and from Nick. News crews were also on the scene; it was utter chaos.

Sighing quietly, Horatio looked away from Nick and as he analyzed the scene, he noticed a woman sitting quietly with a female police officer near the vehicles, her head down as the officer tried to engage her in conversation. As much as he didn't want to know who the woman was, Horatio immediately recognized her as Dr. Andrea Pride; she had been the one to medicate him at LaRusso Farm in Las Vegas.

"Horatio?"

Horatio looked away from Dr. Pride and saw Calleigh standing next to him with a purse in her gloved hands, "This purse has identification in it belonging to Doctor Andrea Pride and she went missing from New York two days ago," she explained.

"I remember," Horatio replied. "It was after Detective Angell was murdered…"

Calleigh nodded and Horatio looked over to Dr. Pride, "She's being watched by a female officer and I don't think she'd be comfortable talking to a male officer," he spoke quietly. "I especially don't think she'd be altogether comfortable around me."

Loud sirens suddenly filled the air as the ambulance took off with a very weak Nick inside and another Hummer pulled up to the scene. A moment later, Emily got out of the vehicle wearing white shoes, dress pants, and a dress shirt with a badge and gun on her belt. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she looked very firm.

"Did you call Emily to help?" Horatio asked quizzically. "I don't think I did."

Calleigh shook her head and watched as Emily made her way over to Jesse, Walter, and Tripp, but Horatio walked over to them, "As Deputy Head of IAB, it's my job to know what happened this morning and so I'll need statements from Mister Simmons and Detective Cardoza," Horatio heard Emily say formally. "Detective Tripp, thank you so much for talking to them. Do you mind if I have a copy of your notes?"

Tripp nodded, "Doctor Speedle, where is Sergeant Stetler?" Horatio asked softly, frowning because he was confused. "I know IAB has to be involved, however…"

"Sergeant Stetler took some sick days," Emily replied in an official voice. "The chief has asked me to talk with Walter and Jesse about the situation and…."

Walter's eyes filled with tears, "Doctor Grissom gave himself to them as a hostage so that lady and the dude from Vegas wouldn't be shot," he said softly. "He's a _hero_."

"Why don't we go for a walk, Mister Simmons?" Emily suggested. "And talk?"

As Walter and Emily walked away from the scene, Horatio eyed Jesse, "Be honest with me, Jesse, did you help Rick go underground?" he asked in a stern voice.

"No, but given the work he was involved in, I'm not surprised he did," Jesse replied.

Horatio nodded and got his phone out of his pocket, "As much as I don't want to call Las Vegas, I should inform Catherine of what's happened," he spoke anxiously. "After that, I need to phone New York about Doctor Pride and let them know she's alive."

Jesse nodded and headed back to the scene, but Calleigh found herself walking over to where the female officer and Dr. Pride were. The female officer, whose tag read Reyes, immediately moved towards Calleigh, leaving Dr. Pride where she was sitting.

"Officer Reyes, what's the problem?" Calleigh asked in a concerned voice.

Officer Reyes looked concerned, "She won't engage in conversation and she's not even acknowledging my presence," she explained softly. "I don't know what to do."

Calleigh nodded, her expression concerned, "Ma'am?" she asked softly. "I'm…"

Without warning, Dr. Pride suddenly passed out and nearly fell off the chair, but was caught by Officer Reyes. Calleigh immediately got on her radio and called it in.

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

Sara found herself deeply confused as she went into the Crime Lab with Betty, Gregory, and Danielle in tow. She had been working nights as a favor to Catherine until Nick was found, but she had been promised that she would never work days.

What surprised her even more was that Greg, Ray, Brass, Hodges, Henry, Morgan, and other techs were in the conference room along with Sheriff Liston, Ecklie, and an anxious looking Catherine, "Sara, have a seat," Catherine spoke in a quiet voice.

Sara signed to Betty as she spoke, "I'll stand," she replied softly. "What's this about?"

"I just got off the phone with Horatio Caine in Miami," Catherine spoke in a solemn voice. "Grissom's been taken hostage by Jeffrey McKeen and a bunch of other goons who dumped Nick and Dr. Pride on a beach near the hospital district in Miami…"

Sara's eyes widened in shock and Ecklie swore, "Grissom's in _Miami_?" he snapped.

"He didn't feel safe here," Sara spoke softly, signing as she spoke so Betty would understand. "He wanted to get treatment for his Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in peace."

Catherine frowned, as did Brass, Ray, and Hodges, "Um, a Walter Simmons of the Miami Crime Lab got a video of the incident and they'll analyze it, but Walter also gave a statement that Grissom offered himself to protect Nick and a Doctor Pride…"

Greg looked sick, "Nick was found?" he asked anxiously. "Is he alive?"

Betty suddenly let out a cry and fled the room, having understood everything that Sara was signing about her son, "We don't have a lot of information about Grissom yet, unfortunately," Catherine spoke anxiously as Danielle and Gregory suddenly woke

Sara exhaled anxiously and Greg looked sick, "That's all we have for now," Catherine spoke in a quiet voice. "Greg, I know that Grissom means a lot to you and if you…"

"I'll be back for shift tonight," Greg replied softly. "Nick…Nick would want that."

Sara, however, sighed heavily, "I need to take my kids home and talk to Betty," she spoke in a stressed voice, her expression sad. "This is not what I needed to hear."

* * *

_**Manhattan, New York**_

"…_We're just getting word of a situation developing in Miami where Doctor Gil Grissom, formerly of the Las Vegas Crime Lab, was taken hostage by Jeffrey McKeen, Ivan Sarnoff, Derek Stokes, and the crew that kidnapped Nick Stokes two days ago…"_ Danielle heard a voice say as she came back to John's room from the hospital cafeteria after getting herself some lunch. "_Hostages Nick Stokes and_…"

Frowning, Danielle entered the room and was surprised to see John watching the TV with a horrified expression on his face. On the screen, several CSI's were working on a patch of beach that had been roped off by police tape and ignoring the reporters.

"I heard some uniforms talking in the hall and woke just as they left, but I heard them talking about some thing down in Miami," John spoke softly. "I decided to turn the TV on and this was all over the news. Something bad happened to Uncle Gil…"

Danielle continued watching the news as she sat in the chair beside the bed, frowning when one of the CSI's came into view and headed towards a Hummer, _"Officer Wolfe, how do you feel about Gil Grissom being kidnapped considering he was responsible for your wife's death in Las Vegas?" _one of the reporters suddenly called out.

Ryan suddenly paused, "He wasn't," he replied tersely. "Get out of my face NOW!"

John frowned, "Uncle Gil's being blamed for Sofia's death?" he asked softly.

"Apparently," Danielle replied in a concerned voice. "I had no idea…"

The picture suddenly went back to the newsroom and Danielle sighed, "_A report has just come in that Officer Wolfe may have broken the video camera_," a reporter said.

"He doesn't need questions like that," John spoke in a worried voice.

Just then, Bosco came into the room still in his uniform and he sighed at seeing the news was on, "Man, news travels fast," he spoke anxiously. "Detective Flack was supposed to come do watch today since he's healed up, but he's AWOL right now and there's rumor that he's been bar-hopping a lot. I took him off the schedule and told Taylor not to let him come over here. I'm not gonna let some grieving drunk…"

"Flack's been drinking?" John asked quizzically. "Over Detective Angell's death?"

Bosco nodded, "Word gets around," he replied irritably. "I'd fire him or at least suspend him, but Taylor won't let me. He says Flack is grieving and to give him a chance to straighten up, but I don't have to let him be around my family."

An uneasy expression crossed John's face and he slowly pulled himself out of bed, keeping quiet as he went to the bathroom without assistance even though his walk was unsteady, "What's gotten into him?" Bosco asked sourly as the bathroom door closed.

"I'm not sure," Danielle replied softly. "We just found out Grissom was kidnapped by McKeen in Miami and they were close. Hearing about Flack may have been too much."

Bosco frowned as the sound of retching suddenly filled the bathroom and he opened the door just in time to see John sink to his knees on the verge of passing out.

Cursing loudly, Danielle pushed the call button and turned the television off.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

"Ryan, you shouldn't have broken the camera," Calleigh spoke in a concerned voice as she led Ryan into the hospital through the emergency room entrance after Horatio had sent them both to the hospital. "Now, go see your counselor and I'll get the evidence from both Nick and Doctor Pride. I'll tell Horatio you helped me."

Ryan sighed, "I let my emotions get the better of me," he replied softly. "Am I fired?"

"No, but you'll probably have to talk to Horatio about what happened because we need to be above that kind of behavior at scenes," Calleigh replied. "Go on upstairs."

Before Ryan could leave, Dr. Stokes came over to them holding a large bag, "Calleigh, Ryan, here are Nick's clothes and effects," she spoke softly. "He's up in surgery because he's already got a colostomy. They want to see what damage was done."

Calleigh took the bag, "What about the other patient?" she asked softly. "Doctor Pride? She fainted at the scene and I understood this was the hospital she was brought to."

Dr. Stokes suddenly looked concerned, "She wouldn't let me touch her," she replied in a concerned voice. "I helped with Nick and then approached her, but…"

Calleigh nodded, a concerned expression on her face, "Ryan, can you take Nick's stuff and phone Horatio?" she asked softly. "You might get a reprimand, but…"

"I'll take it," Ryan replied nervously. "Calleigh, go easy. I think rape might have been involved and that's why Doctor Pride doesn't want to be touched right now."

Calleigh gave Ryan a concerned look, "Did McKeen…?" she asked softly.

"Along with a lot of other stuff, yeah," Ryan answered softly. "I don't want to talk about it, but it's why I don't like being touched anymore…"

Calleigh nodded, her expression neutral, "If you want to take Nick's things to the lab, Ryan, I can stay here and try to get through to Doctor Pride," she spoke softly as she handed the keys to Ryan. "I'm sure Horatio will want to talk to you anyway. I think a woman should handle this. Take the Hummer and I can find my way back myself."

It was then that Ryan noticed the look in Calleigh's eyes, "Who did it?" he asked.

"Hagen," Calleigh replied softly, sighing. "I'd rather not get into it right now."

Ryan nodded and took the bag, "I'll get this back to the lab and call my therapist for a session once it's logged," he replied softly. "Good luck with Doctor Pride."

Once Ryan had left with the evidence, Calleigh followed Dr. Stokes to an exam room that was out of the way of the action. Dr. Pride was sitting on the bed looking lost.

Dr. Stokes and Calleigh didn't speak when they came into the room, "Doctor Pride, I'm Calleigh Duquesne from the Miami-Dade Crime Lab," Calleigh spoke softly.

"I suppose you need to examine me because I fainted," Dr. Pride spoke softly.

Dr. Stokes nodded, "Stokes," Dr. Pride read off of Dr. Stokes's work ID tag.

"Nick's my baby brother," Dr. Stokes replied softly. "He's up in surgery."

Dr. Pride's eyes filled with tears, "I didn't give him the colostomy," she spoke in a tired voice. "I wish I could remember who did, but I was kept rather busy after we left the stop and I'm in so much pain right now. Derek and Ivan each took turns…"

Letting out a sigh, Dr. Pride laid down, "If you want to examine me, you can," she spoke in a quiet voice. "I know you need the evidence to help find Gil Grissom."

"If you're not comfortable…" Calleigh spoke in a concerned voice.

Dr. Pride sighed weakly, "I haven't been comfortable for several days," she replied in a weak voice. "And I need to rest before New York sends someone down for me."

* * *

By the time Ryan returned to the lab after taking the long way at the speed limit, everyone else was back. He quickly gathered the appropriate paperwork and secluded himself in one of the evidence rooms to log it and process it. It was his way of calming down and he made sure he was in a coat and gloves before starting his work.

"Ryan?"

Ryan didn't look up from his work because he recognized the voice, "Ryan, what happened at the beach?" Emily asked in a concerned voice. "The camera…"

"I don't blame Grissom for what happened to Sofia and I can't believe there are people who do," Ryan replied, looking up at his sister. "I snapped, grabbed the camera, and threw it in the sand. Horatio sent me to the hospital with Calleigh to get evidence and I may have cost myself work. I just couldn't let such a horrible question pass…"

Emily sighed, "Ryan, it hasn't been that long since she died and you're allowed to be angry," she spoke calmly. "I hope you're going to make a counseling appointment."

"I'll phone when this stuff is logged," Ryan replied. "It's Nick Stokes's clothes…"

Emily nodded and left Ryan to it, quickly making a beeline for the staff lounge to get a quick snack. She was tired from carrying Rick's load and keeping the secret of where he and his son were hiding, but she was bound by her promise to him.

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

John was now back in his hospital bed and resting, drained from the vomiting he had done over hearing about Grissom and Flack. Danielle was sitting with him and she had shuttered visitors for the rest of the day except the police that were assigned to do guard duty at the door. She had also asked for the rest of the family to stay home.

Bosco had waited until his shift was officially over before going home and he was pleased to see that Caira was resting on the hideabed while helping David and Ellie with their homework. Sully was helping Ray with his homework while Michael, Emily, and Nicolas played quietly together on the floor surrounded by toys.

"Bosco, dinner's done, but the leftovers are in the fridge," Sully commented as he spotted Bosco. "Danielle also called and told us that John had a setback tonight. He's gonna be on strict bedrest and observation for the next few days…"

Bosco fought the urge to swear, as he knew why John had suffered a setback and now that he was off the clock, he was going to handle it, "Hey, Sully, do you mind getting the kids to bed?" he asked in a quiet voice. "I'm going for a walk tonight."

Sully, however, could immediately tell what Bosco was up to and gave him a look. Bosco, however, didn't pay attention to it, "Can we come?" Ellie asked hopefully.

"Not tonight, pumpkin, but I've got the day off tomorrow and I'll take you and Ellie to the park, all right?" Bosco spoke calmly. "You two keep busy with Caira."

As Bosco left the apartment, he suddenly heard footsteps, "Bosco," Sully warned in a stern voice. "It's not like the trouble with Don Flack is a secret. Danielle told me."

"I'm not going to beat him up," Bosco growled. "I'm going to find him and sober him up with a cold shower and a lecture about how people like John look up to him."

Sully sighed, "When's the last time you were out on the street at night by yourself, Bosco?" he asked sternly. "What's going to happen if you're out there and get triggered? I think I should come with you for safety and in case you're triggered."

Bosco scoffed, but didn't argue, "What are you gonna tell Yelina?" he asked.

"Don't worry about Yelina," Sully replied. "She's always bugging me to walk more."

Bosco nodded and didn't argue when Sully followed him outside, "I might start at my ma's bar because she'll know where Flack's been hanging," he replied. "Taxi!"

A cab came quickly and the ride to Rose's bar was silent, but Sully was grateful that Bosco had allowed him to come along instead of arguing. As the taxi moved through the streets, Bosco suddenly noticed a figure in jeans, a tee, and a hoodie.

"Stop the car," Bosco growled, swearing as the cab stopped. "It's Flack."

The cab stopped and Bosco launched himself at the car as Flack turned to look at him, "What do youuu want, Boscorelli?" Flack slurred. "I'm offff the clock, Sarge…"

Bosco scowled, but managed to wrestle Flack into the cab, "Get going," he snapped.

The cab driver looked slightly frightened, but continued driving to Rose's bar. Once they were there, Sully paid and the two of them hustled Flack into the bar.

"Maurice, what's this?" Rose asked as she came out from behind the bar. "Who…?"

Bosco scoffed, "This idiot's bleedin'," he growled, seeing Flack's bloody nose, a gash on his face, and his bruises. "He must have been in a fight. Ma, got a first aid kit?"

Rose sighed, "I'm ffffine," Flack slurred even though he was ready to pass out.

"Take him upstairs," Rose ordered. "I don't want him bleedin' all over my bar."

Bosco and Sully obeyed and deposited Flack on to the couch after hauling him up the back steps. A moment later, Rose came up and handed the first aid kit to Sully.

It didn't take long for Sully to patch Flack's injuries, but Flack fell asleep in the process and Bosco scoffed, "So much for the cold shower," he hissed angrily.

"Maurice, do you want me to call someone?" Rose asked worriedly.

Bosco sighed, "I'm not going to sleep tonight anyway, so I'll stay here with him and lecture him in the morning," he replied firmly. "You might as well go home."

Sully looked uneasy and promptly pulled out his phone, "I'll phone Yelina and with Ray and Caira's help, she can handle the younger ones," he replied firmly. "I'm going to stay here with you and we'll both have a word with Flack in the morning."

Bosco sighed, but didn't argue because he knew that Sully was only trying to help.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

The sun was down, but not all was quiet in Miami.

After making sure her official duties at work were done, Emily left the Hummer at work and took her personal car to the nearest big-box store. She bought a great deal of food and other supplies using cash so that nobody would know that she bought it.

Once her car was filled with supplies, she drove to a quiet neighborhood that had small condos and was close to schools and parks. She parked her car in front of one of the condos and gathered the bags of supplies before going to the door and knocking.

The door opened and Rick sighed, "Hi," he spoke quietly. "Did anyone follow you?"

Emily shook her head as she came into the house and spotted the swelling and bruises on Rick's neck, "Your neck looks worse," she spoke in a concerned voice.

"I've been in hiding since Cooper followed us and I don't want to risk Lenny for a quick trip to the hospital," Rick replied weakly. "I heard about Grissom on the news and it makes me want to go out even less. I'm sure Catherine's freaking out about Grissom right now; I don't need her worrying about me or about our son."

Emily sighed, but put the bags of supplies on the table, "This should last you for a few days and give you enough time to figure out what you and Lenny are going to do long-term," she explained in a concerned voice. "I know you're nervous that McKeen and Ivan might come looking for you because of your past undercover work…"

"I did a lot of investigating and reporting back to the FBI, but it was the only way to get my kids back," Rick replied softly. "I hadn't counted on Lindsey not being my biological daughter and her rejecting me once she found out Eddie was her father."

Emily sighed and Rick looked embarrassed, "Sorry," he replied. "It's still fresh."

"How is Lenny holding up with all this?" Emily asked in a concerned voice.

Rick sighed, "Lenny's doing as well as he can considering all things that have happened recently," he replied quietly. "I wish I could have him around his cousins more, but I feel like it's my fault Maggie wasn't saved as quickly. I couldn't remember seeing her at Fred's until recently and that may have ruined her life."

"You can't keep blaming yourself," Emily replied softly. "You were drugged."

Just then, Lenny came out of his bedroom having heard Emily's voice. He was holding a small notebook in his hand and looking somewhat nervous.

"Hi, Doctor Speedle," Lenny spoke quietly. "Is it our time to talk yet?"

Rick looked concerned, "Yes," he replied softly. "I'm going to take a shower and do some reading in my room while you two talk. Talk for however long you want."

Emily smiled at Lenny as Rick disappeared into his private bedroom and shut the door, "I've been keeping a journal of my feelings like you said to," Lenny spoke softly.

Nodding, Emily looked thoughtful, "Why don't you tell me about it?" she asked, pleased that Lenny had responded to her counsel to keep a journal of his feelings instead of resorting to self-harming when things got tough. "I'm listening."

* * *

Elsewhere in Miami, in the midst of the luxury that Ivan Sarnoff's house was, James Scott and Darin Mitchell were waiting anxiously. They had been called by McKeen and told to be at the hideout for a special meeting with a special guest; they were also told to be sober and not to do anything that would get the police's attention.

Even though they wanted to go clubbing, get drunk, and find a way to get back in touch with the elusive Jill Adams, the two obeyed. They fixed themselves meals from Ivan's kitchen and spent time eating them while they waited for McKeen's visit.

"…I've got a headache, McKeen," a gruff voice hissed. "I need to lie down."

There was a scoff, "Can you wait until we show James and Darin our special guest?" McKeen asked sharply. "I know you haven't been feeling well…oh, go on and rest."

A moment passed and then McKeen came into the kitchen, unsurprised to see the food out, "Boys, I hear you've been _busy_ since I've been away," McKeen said tersely.

"We haven't done anything illegal except try to find Jill Adams for you, but it's like she disappeared," James replied worriedly. "We haven't been able to find her, but we do know that Colin Jamison is still in Vegas. We could go end him if you like."

McKeen scoffed, "Colin Jamison is _useless_," he replied coldly. "Follow me, please."

James and Darin exchanged a look, but obediently followed McKeen out to the dock where Ivan's boat waited, tied securely to the dock with a rope. They were stunned to see Gil Grissom laying unconscious on the deck, bleeding from a head wound.

"Doctor Grissom," James and Darin spoke in unison, their eyes wide with horror.

McKeen smirked, "He gave himself willingly in exchange for Nick Stokes and Doctor Pride, but I don't buy that at all," he hissed coldly. "I knocked him out cold because I was tired of hearing his lies, but I want you two to search him for wires and devices."

James and Darin exchanged another look, "Search him with what?" Darin asked.

"Do whatever you want to him," McKeen hissed. "Just don't permanently damage him because he's getting shipped to where Ray Caine has his lady and brat hiding. I would recommend torturing him on Ivan's rack if you can't find any wires…"

James paled, "Ivan's got a torture rack?" he asked nervously. "Why?"

"Let's get started," Darin spoke anxiously. "If he's wearing wires, we're screwed."

James nodded and reluctantly got on the boat with Darin, fighting nausea as they searched Grissom, "He's really pale and has bags under his eyes," Darin observed, scoffing as he found a wallet. "He doesn't have his LVPD ID on him at all…"

McKeen looked annoyed, "I guess we _do_ need the rack," he replied. "Bring him inside and dump him in the basement. When he wakes, I will question him."

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

"Bosco."

Yawning, Bosco opened his eyes and found that he had fallen asleep in a chair sometime during the night. Sully was standing beside the chair and Flack was gone.

"Flack's in the bathroom and I ordered him not to run away," Sully replied. "You passed out at about one a.m. and I just decided to let you sleep the rest of the night."

Bosco sighed, but quickly got serious and stood up as Flack came out of the bathroom, freezing in his tracks when he saw Bosco there, "Uh, hi Sergeant," Flack said groggily, frowning. "Where exactly am I and what am I doing up here? I vaguely remember…"

"We caught you stumbling down the street last night drunk out of your mind," Bosco spoke in a stern voice. "I don't care what Mac Taylor says; you are clearly out of control and set John back in his recovery. You aren't fit to wear your badge."

Flack's eyes widened in shock, "Did I hurt him?" he asked worriedly. "John?"

"Not physically," Bosco replied sharply. "It's not like your irresponsibility is a big secret, though, and he heard some of the hallway patrol talking about it at the same time he learned that Doctor Grissom was kidnapped in Miami. It was too much for him and he threw up quite a bit. You and your crap set him back in his recovery."

Flack gave Bosco a look, "Angell was murdered right in front of my eyes and the kid doesn't know what it's like to see something like that!" he snapped angrily.

Sully sighed, "He does," he replied softly. "Ever hear of Doc Parker from FDNY?"

"That highly respected paramedic who was beheaded a couple years back," Flack replied in a groggy voice. "John's a smart kid, but he doesn't know what it's like to lose someone close to him. What's happened to him over the last couple years is awful, but it's not like he was emotionally invested in the people who died…"

Bosco's eyes widened in anger and he lunged at Flack, pinning him against the wall quite swiftly, "He was close to Doc, he was close to Warrick Brown, he was close to Sofia Wolfe, and he cared about everyone who died where he was involved," he growled coldly. "He may have even cared when his biological father was killed."

Flack struggled to get free, but Bosco held him tight, "Now that I've adopted John and he's taken my name, it's my right as his father to protect him from people like you who don't care about anything but destroying themselves," Bosco snarled, his expression murderous. "You are _not_ to go near him again while he is in the hospital and if you don't start cleaning yourself up, I _will_ go over Taylor's head and talk to Internal Affairs about having you suspended or fired. Do you understand me?!"

Flack swore, shoved Bosco off of him, and promptly bolted from the room, "I don't think I got through to him," Bosco sighed as he pulled his phone out. "I need to phone LaRusso in Miami to make sure that Flack doesn't go to him. They're best buddies."

"You tried, Bosco," Sully replied in a sad voice. "If someone doesn't think they're wrong…"

Bosco sighed as LaRusso's voicemail came on the line, "Hey there, Bobby, it's Bosco," he spoke in a concerned voice. "You should know that there's been some problems with Don Flack lately and he might try to lean on you for support. He's been drinking a lot lately and it's gotten pretty bad…"

* * *

Please read and review!


	16. Regrets and Regression

**_Three Days Later_**

**_Miami, Florida_**

James Scott and Darin Mitchell were filled with regrets now that they were watching strongmen bind Grissom to an old-fashioned torture rack with one arm chained upright. Grissom had regained consciousness earlier that morning, but he hadn't said a word about where he was or what he had done.

McKeen, on the other hand, was delighted that Grissom was awake and hadn't hesitated to arrange a way to torture his old nemesis. He wanted information that Grissom had and would do whatever he could to get it.

"You boys seem troubled," McKeen observed as he came into the room, smirked at the silent Grissom being rigged up to a rack, and then looked at James and Darin. "You both know he _deserves_ this."

Neither boy replied and McKeen smirked at Grissom, who was staring silently at the ceiling as if he hadn't heard anything, "Doesn't it sting when people you put blind faith in betray you, Gil?" McKeen crooned mockingly, smirking at the helpless man. "These were two of your students, right?"

"They were," Grissom replied quietly, still looking upward. "It seems they chose to step away from my teachings."

McKeen chuckled, "And you _chose_ to come to me so that your precious little Nicky Stokes would be spared," he laughed mockingly, glaring at Grissom. "It's _too bad_ you're going to die here."

"Better me than others," Grissom replied softly, his expression pained. "I'm assuming this is a stretch rack?"

McKeen smirked and he began to turn the wheel, stretching Grissom's arm, "Where's Jill Adams, Gil?" he asked in a cold voice, his expression murderous. "The trial involving Horatio Caine's disappearance is next month and she's going to testify against me. I want her dead before she reveals my plans…"

Grissom was silent for several minutes, "I heard that your new recruits shot up a Miami hotel owned by her parents and killed a lot of people," he replied softly. "Did you ever consider that they died?"

"_Don't_ play games with me," McKeen snarled, turning the wheel so roughly that a CRACK filled the air.

James and Darin exchanged a look as McKeen suddenly stopped turning the wheel and produced a stolen taser from inside his pocket, "Perhaps you need some _shock therapy_ instead," McKeen said softly.

"Jill Adams is dead," Grissom lied softly, even though Ryan had told him of Jill's marriage during one of their little visits together. "As careless as James and Darin have been, I'm not surprised by her death."

McKeen swore and powered up the taser, "Shock therapy and an _epic_ beating will teach you not to tell lies, Gil," he replied in a cold voice, smirking as he thrust the taser hard into Grissom's side.

* * *

_**Miami-Dade University Hospital - Miami**_

The hospital was quiet. It was always quiet at that time of day, but Bobby wasn't troubled by it.

"…_Hey there, Bobby, it's Bosco. You should know that there's been some problems with Don Flack lately and he might try to lean on you for support. He's been drinking a lot lately and it's gotten pretty bad. You might want to let your uncle or cop friends know about Flack just in case he tries to visit you…"_

Swallowing hard, Robert set the phone back on the portable table and stared up at the ceiling with a troubled expression on his face. Flack had tried calling him, yes, and had mentioned that he might come down for a visit. Never was any sort of problem mentioned and to hear otherwise from his former work partner troubled him deeply.

"Penny for your thoughts?" a gentle voice suddenly asked as footsteps approached.

Robert looked down and was surprised to see his uncle standing there, "Morning," he spoke in a quiet voice, his expression confused. "Aren't you usually at work this time of day?"

"I'm supervising the search from Grissom from a distance considering my past history with McKeen," Horatio replied calmly. "I know Natalia had to work this morning…"

Robert sighed softly, "They took the colostomy out yesterday," he spoke quietly. "I'm still a little weak, but I'm being encouraged to use the bathroom with assistance if I can…"

Horatio nodded, quickly catching his nephew's meaning and helping him out of bed, not letting go until Robert was at the toilet. He helped his nephew finish his business and get back to bed in record time, "Your steps are better," Horatio observed quietly.

Robert, however, didn't look happy, "Donnie's struggling with drinking," he spoke quietly. "Bosco left a message on my phone that Donnie's developed a drinking problem. Donnie phoned the other day saying that he wanted to visit, but I told him I had a lot going on. I…I also know that Rick's missing…"

"He is," Horatio replied quietly. "He hasn't reported to work and has in fact taken a sick leave…"

Robert nodded, "If I keep showing improvement, I should be able to go home within the week," he spoke, switching to a more comfortable subject. "I'm still a long way from being cleared for any sort of work, but being at home will mean better sleep and less nightmares. I won't feel so alone there."

A pleased expression appeared on Horatio's face, "That's great news," he replied, sighing gently and trying to not think about the trial in the distance, a trial that would prove taxing on his emotions.

* * *

_Jackson Hospital - Miami_

"…_It's been two days since former Las Vegas Crime Lab Supervisor Doctor Gilbert Grissom was kidnapped while in Miami," a newscaster's voice filled the air as Calleigh opened the door to Dr. Pride's hospital room. "A witness to the crime identified former Las Vegas Police Department Undersheriff Jeffrey McKeen as Grissom's abductor…"_

_Calleigh froze at seeing the bed empty, but she immediately heard water running and waited for several moments before the door opened. Dr. Pride came out of the bathroom wearing sweats, slippers, and a loose shirt. Her arm was wrapped around an IV pole that had a line embedded in her hand while her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail and her expression was tired. She sighed at Calleigh._

"_I haven't gone anywhere," Dr. Pride spoke in a pained voice. "I gave my word I wouldn't."_

_Calleigh nodded and watched as Dr. Pride quietly returned to bed without offering any further thoughts on her condition or situation, "We finished processing your things and I thought you might like them back," she finally said quietly. "I had an officer from the Crime Lab help me bring your things."_

"_What's the point of having things if you're going to jail?" Dr. Pride replied softly. "Detective Angell and Detective Flack were left to die and Angell did die because I couldn't do anything to help them…"_

_Calleigh looked confused, "You were a hostage," she replied softly. "The evidence supports that."_

"_And if Doctor Grissom dies, what does that make me?" Dr. Pride asked softly, unable to stop herself from crying. "I know I'm headed to jail whenever New York gets here and I deserve it. I'm not going to try and fight or argue against what I did. I plan to plead guilty to everything and take the time I'm given."_

_Calleigh paused, "You might want to talk to Detective Taylor," she spoke softly. "He's in the hall."_

_Dr. Pride gave Calleigh a confused look and frowned as Calleigh began to slowly blur into white._

A gentle beeping filled Dr. Pride's ears, "…Whatever was going on dropped her blood pressure," a concerned voice spoke. "She was sitting in a chair out on the balcony, crying her eyes out…"

Dr. Pride opened her eyes and was surprised to find Dr. Stokes and two nurses around her bed, "Hey there, good to see you back with us," Dr. Stokes spoke gently. "You passed out on the balcony."

"What, so Detective Taylor and Detective Duquesne aren't here?" Dr. Pride asked shakily, trying to make some sense of what had happened. "I…shouldn't you be with your brother? He's still alive…right?"

Dr. Stokes said something to the nurses and they left, "Nick's stable, but he's in ICU and I work in a different department," she replied patiently. "You're my patient and he's not. Hospital rules."

Dr. Pride nodded, still feeling confused and flustered, "A nurse was coming to check you when she saw you faint on the balcony," Dr. Stokes spoke calmly. "What were you even doing out there?"

A sadness suddenly filled Dr. Pride and she turned her head to face the balcony, "I heard on the news that Detective Angell's dead and Flack's on medical leave from work," she spoke quietly. "Angell was one of my bodyguards until the trial and she lived with me, but I had come to see her as a friend."

"Is this a bad time?" a male voice suddenly asked. "I'm from the lab and I need a statement, but…"

Dr. Pride sighed, forced herself to calm, and then turned to see Tim Speedle lingering near the door with a calm looking woman at his side, "I'm Detective Speedle and this is my wife, Doctor or Detective Speedle, whichever you wanna call her," Tim spoke calmly. "Did we come at a bad time?"

"At least I get a kind looking escort," Dr. Pride spoke softly as she slowly sat up.

Tim frowned, "Escort?" he replied in a confused voice. "Um, I'm _married_…rather happily married."

"You're here to take me to jail," Dr. Pride spoke softly, her ribs aching from sitting up too fast. "I…"

Tim looked taken aback, "For what?" he asked calmly. "You were _kidnapped_ from New York; you didn't leave voluntarily. You kept Nick Stokes alive and took a beating for it. You're not under arrest."

"I'm not?" Dr. Pride asked blankly as she laid back to ease the pain in her ribs.

Dr. Stokes looked alarmed, but she said nothing as Tim grabbed a chair from the wall and planted it near the bed, "Do you want a juice or a milkshake or something?" he asked calmly. "I can imagine you're pretty hungry, but food might not stay down. You know what? I'll just go get you a juice."

Before Dr. Pride could reply, Tim quietly left the room, "He could sense you were scared of him," Emily explained as she sat in the chair beside the bed. "Tim's got a sixth sense about those who have been through prior traumas and he wanted to give you a moment. I'm assuming his sense is right."

"Yes," Dr. Pride replied softly. "I…I'm sorry. It's not something I can help…"

Emily sighed as Dr. Stokes moved into the hallway, "If you want to cry, just do it," she replied.

Unable to hold her emotions in any longer, Dr. Pride looked up at the ceiling and began to cry.

* * *

_**Angel of Mercy Hospital - Manhattan, New York**_

John sighed shakily as he made his way down the hospital hallway, leaning heavily on his IV pole for support while one arm sat in a sling. He had been helped to dress and eat by a nurse that morning because his nightwatch, Lt. Davis, was sacked out asleep on the couch after giving into exhaustion.

"…What are you doing out of bed?" a stern voice suddenly called to him. "Where's Davis?"

John sighed as he saw his father come out of the elevator wearing jeans, boots, and a t-shirt and an unhappy expression on his face, "I ate breakfast and my blood sugar's fine, but I was just tired of being in bed," he replied softly. "Lieutenant Davis is asleep. He did a footchase before coming over…"

Bosco expression softened, "You just got the tubes out of your chest last night," he replied in a concerned voice. "I know I'm being paranoid about the nightwatch thing, but I care…"

Nodding, John gave him a one armed hug and Bosco sighed, unable to stay mad at him, "All right, you can go to the elevator and then _back_ to bed," Bosco relented firmly. "And I walk with you."

"All right," John replied in a quiet voice. "I just had to make sure I was still human, you know?"

Bosco sighed, "Yeah, I get it," he replied. "It hurts more for you, though, because it was someone who was your friend, someone you thought you could trust. It hurts for me too cause I saw Emily…"

Nausea rocketed through John, "I _don't_ want to talk about her," he spoke anxiously. "Not now."

Bosco nodded and John relaxed, the nausea disappearing along with his anxiety, "I might get a therapy appointment later," John spoke in a tired voice as they reached the elevator. "I'm starting to get tired."

"You know, they might let you outta here soon, but that doesn't mean you get to run a marathon or anything," Bosco spoke as he put an arm around John to support him. "Just go slow and breathe."

As John and Bosco turned and began walking back towards the hospital room, John found his gaze wandering and suddenly stopped in his tracks with his head gazing into one of the rooms. Adam Ross was sitting on a bed in a hospital gown and sweats with a bracelet around his wrist quietly answering questions that a nurse, who was sitting in a chair beside the bed, was asking him. Adam looked tired.

"Adam?" John spoke in a concerned, confused voice as he moved to the door. "Hey there, Adam."

Adam froze at seeing John, "Hey," he spoke softly. "I didn't know you were here…"

"My room's down the hall," John replied worriedly. "You don't look so good. Are you okay?"

Adam sighed anxiously, "I'm not sure," he admitted quietly as the nurse continued writing because John seemed to be getting Adam to open up more. "I helped with your case and I had an absence seizure when I was watching the tape. Sid told me I had a grand mal later that day, but I don't remember…"

John nodded, "Anyway, I decided to admit myself for some tests to see if it really just was PTSD or if there's a bigger problem," Adam explained. "Mac gave me some medical leave and Sinclair's pissed, but I'm protected by the ADA. I'm really grateful you did all that research for me during your study hours…"

"Are you going to be okay?" John asked worriedly, his tiredness gone. "I can stay and talk…"

Adam shrugged, "I've gotta finish being admitted and you look ready to fall over," he replied softly.

John didn't want to leave, but he reluctantly did and nearly crashed into a frantic Davis when they came back to his assigned room, "I fell asleep," Ty apologized. "I'm sorry. It was a long shift…"

"Save it," Bosco growled. "You can go do whatever now. I'll be staying for a while."

Ty fled and Bosco promptly helped John back to bed, "It's getting close to lunch," Bosco said, eyeing the clock above the door before grabbing John's bag off the bed. "You wanna try your shot today?"

"If you can mix it for me," John replied quietly. "I need both hands to do it."

As Bosco mixed the shot, John exhaled, "What's everyone up to today?" he asked tiredly.

"Your ma's doing some EMS classes this morning and Yelina has some summer courses at NYU she's teaching, so Sully's babysitting and Caira and Ray are helping," Bosco explained. "David and Ellie's school has some sort of PD day thing, so all the kids are home. NYPD's being generous with my personal days cause of what happened, but I'll probably have to make it up later in the year when you're better."

John nodded, "Do you think I'll get better?" he asked softly, unsure of the answer. "I'm not sure."

"I think you'll get there," Bosco replied as he capped the loaded needle. "You ready for this?"

John quietly adjusted his clothes before taking the needle and gently injecting it into his thigh.

* * *

_**Jackson Hospital - Miami, Florida**_

"…Nick's breathing on his own, but he's still not awake and I'm worried for him," Tim heard an anxious woman speak as he waited in the cafeteria line for Dr. Pride's smoothie. "How are we supposed to tell him about Derek and about his old boss? What was Gil Grissom even _thinking_?!"

Tim turned just in time to see Jillian Stokes start weeping while holding a cell phone. Jillian noticed him, but remained on the phone for a few more moments. Once the call ended, Jillian walked over to him.

"You're one of the CSI's on my son's case," Jillian spoke quietly. "I've forgotten your name…."

Tim sighed, "Detective Tim Speedle, ma'am," he replied patiently. "I'm involved, yes."

"Well, Nick's breathing on his own, but isn't awake yet," Jillian explained in a concerned, slightly emotional voice. "Derek's had some complications and they found a brain tumor inside of him that could explain why he did what he did. He's being medicated right now, but surgery's tricky cause of his diabetes. Both my sons are in here and it's very stressful to deal with. My husband's at our hotel with Parker. We brought him along so he could be close to Nick. I'm sorry if I'm rambling…"

Tim shook his head, "It's useful information," he replied, knowing that there was no way to get anything credible out of Derek due to the brain tumor. "You said Nick was breathing on his own now?"

"Yes," Jillian replied in a calmer voice. "Do you need pictures of his injuries?"

Tim sighed, "We got them at the scene when he was found," he replied calmly as a cafeteria worker suddenly came over to him holding a large chocolate smoothie in a takeout cup. "Oh, thank you."

The cafeteria worker nodded and walked away, "I guess you CSI's don't get a lot of time to eat," Jillian spoke in a sympathetic voice. "Whenever Nicky's working, he eats so _unhealthy_…"

"I…I should get back to what I was doing," Tim spoke nervously, wondering if Dr. Pride was doing okay with Emily's presence or if the two women were uncomfortable around each other. "Nice to…"

Jillian suddenly looked very concerned, "That woman, Doctor Pride, she's in this hospital too," she realized in a concerned voice. "Doctor Grissom's phone caught footage of that woman jumping from the boat and trying to keep Nick safe. I didn't even think she'd still be in the hospital after three days…"

Tim said nothing because he very much wanted to protect her right to privacy, "Speed?" a voice suddenly called out from behind Tim. "I wasn't aware you were here today."

Turning towards the voice, Tim was surprised to see Horatio coming into the cafeteria with Robert, who was using a walker to move, "Oh, hey Horatio, Detective Caine," Tim spoke warmly. "How are you?"

Jillian drew back at the sight of Horatio, as she had seen his case on the news and wasn't sure what to say that wouldn't make him uncomfortable. She ended up exiting quietly so not to risk it.

"Oh, Mrs. Stokes must have been very busy with her sons," Horatio commented, deeply relieved that Jillian had left without asking him questions about his experience. "What are you doing here?"

Tim exhaled, "Doctor Pride is on a different floor and Calleigh asked me and Emily to come interview her, but she got anxious," he explained. "She's got some injuries, so Doctor Stokes admitted her and I thought this would help her be more comfortable answering questions about the situation."

"And chocolate helps with headaches and anxiety," Robert commented calmly, smiling timidly.

Tim nodded, "It's good to see you walking," he replied. "Natalia mentions it at work…"

Robert continued to smile although Tim could see a hint of sadness in his face, "I hope to be home with my family soon enough," he said calmly. "I asked my uncle to bring me down here so I could pick what I wanted to eat rather than having it delivered. I think we're gonna go sit, but it's good to see you, Tim."

Tim nodded and quietly excused himself, knowing that Horatio had needed the time in the cafeteria as much as his nephew did. Once Speed was out of sight, the two Caines sat down at a nearby table.

"I'm concerned about you going up to New York by yourself, Uncle," Robert spoke worriedly, frowning.

Horatio sighed, "As am I, but there's not really a choice," he replied softly. "Doctor Pride, Pavel, and Anya will all be testifying as to their roles and I need to be there to share my experiences…"

"You're still having nightmares," Robert spoke firmly. "If I can speed up my recovery and come with…"

Horatio exhaled, "We'll see how things go, Robert," he spoke weakly, his resolve crumbling because arguing about the upcoming trial was triggering anxiety. "Look, can we stop discussing this for now?"

Robert nodded, his expression concerned, "Of course," he replied gently. "Just take some breaths."

Swallowing hard, Horatio nodded and obeyed, "You know me too well," he replied quietly.

* * *

Eric hoped he had been seeing things, but it was troublesome even if he hadn't. He had been on a day off and was doing some shopping for his parents when he had spotted Lenny Stetler getting some groceries that looked reasonably healthy for diabetics. He looked well cared for, but very scared.

Deeply concerned for the young man who, along with his father, had been missing for the last several days, Eric silently followed him through the shop. When Lenny approached the checkout, he approached the young man and Lenny immediately froze, "Officer Delko," he spoke in a nervous voice. "Hi…"

"Hi Lenny," Eric replied in a concerned voice. "Are you getting groceries for you and your dad?"

Lenny nodded, but didn't talk until he had paid for the groceries, "Yes sir," he replied softly, stuffing the change into his jeans pocket. "I…I should get back. He asked me not to dawdle."

"Do you want a ride home?" Eric asked quietly, concerned for the preteen. "Is it far away?"

Shaking his head, Lenny quickly left and Eric quickly got his groceries, paid, and then got in the car to see if he could spot Lenny. A few blocks later, Eric spotted Lenny walking quickly with his head down and hands clutching the grocery bags tightly. The young man looked nervous as if he didn't want to be seen.

Instead of alerting Lenny to his presence, Eric silently tailed him and slowed when he saw Lenny use a key to get into a condo. He waited until Lenny was inside before parking and getting out.

Eric silently went up to the door and knocked, determined to get to the bottom of things. A moment passed and then the door opened, revealing Lenny, "Um, Dad, it's Officer Delko," Lenny called inside.

"You might as well let him in," a tired voice filled the air. "It's not going to do any harm now."

Lenny stepped aside and Eric came in, waiting until Lenny had closed the door to move deeper into the house. To his surprise, Walter Simmons was sitting on one couch while Rick sat on another holding a wrapped icepack to his neck, "What's going on?" Eric asked suspiciously. "Walter, what…?"

"I got days off cause of the thing with Grissom and Jesse asked me to visit with Sergeant Stetler and his son," Walter replied calmly. "You must have spotted Lenny shopping for groceries, right?"

Eric nodded as Lenny came into the living room with a cup of green tea, "Thanks kiddo," Rick spoke in a quiet voice, ruffling Lenny's hair as he set the cup on the coffee table. "Did you finish your homework?"

"It's done and in the packet for Doctor Speedle to deliver to the school," Lenny replied quietly.

Eric froze, "Emily, she knows about this?" he replied in a confused voice. "She knows you're here?"

"Of _course_ she does," Rick replied quietly. "She's the IAB deputy and the department therapist. On days where she needs to be the therapist, she hands the IAB work to someone else so there's no conflict."

Eric nodded as Rick sighed weakly before commandeering the cup of green tea from the table, "I heard talk there was an incident between you and a uniform," Eric spoke worriedly. "You didn't file a report, but Detective Tripp did. If you gave a statement, Officer Stevens would be suspended without pay."

"My cover's blown and I'm not risking my son just so some beat cop can get a slap on the wrist for trying to choke me," Rick replied in a weak voice. "McKeen took down a stronghold like Gil Grissom with just words and if we ever met again, I'm sure I'd be dead. He'd kill me because of my disloyalty…"

Lenny sat down on the couch next to Rick and Rick sighed, "Watch who you tell that I'm here," Rick replied in a tired voice, giving Eric and Walter a look. "Bernard was quite adept at making sure I stayed in line using whatever means he felt were necessary regardless of how it damaged my dignity…"

Walter looked ready to puke, but Eric frowned, "Sexually?" he asked, quickly connecting the dots.

"Bernard was _very_ sociopathic," Rick replied quietly. "Anyways, I'm not feeling well. Can you go?"

Eric frowned as Rick's cell-phone, which was on the table, suddenly buzzed, "_Leave it_," Rick hissed anxiously. "If I don't answer it, Cooper won't be able to track me. He's been calling once a day since…"

"Dan Cooper's trying to find you?" Eric asked worriedly. "Stetler, you need some help...you and Lenny."

Rick scoffed, "Bobby's not that forgiving," he snapped. "Just...just mind your own business, Delko."

"Forgiving of what?" Eric asked in a confused voice. "I know he's still in hospital, but he'll be out soon because he's taking steps and he's got a big enough house. You can't deal with this by yourself..."

Rick swore, "I dealt with finding my children by myself, Delko!" he replied angrily as he suddenly felt a migraine and an anxiety attack coming on with a vengeance. "I went through the worst years of my life trying to be a cop and pay lip service to the FBI just to get my children back alive! GET OUT!"

Before anyone could reply, Rick got up and marched off to the bathroom, promptly slamming the door as hard as he could, "His blood sugar's low cause you freaked him out," Lenny spoke quietly. "He's gone through a lot for Lindsey and me...to help us...and he knows he's not liked by other cops. He also blames himself for my cousin, Maggie, and he shouldn't. I don't think my Uncle Bobby does either..."

"You're pretty smart for 13," Walter spoke softly, offering Lenny a smile. "I'm gonna hang out here..."

Lenny nodded, "My dad thinks so too," he replied calmly. "Officer Delko, can you please just go? My dad's been having a really hard time since that cop in uniform tried to choke him at the hospital."

Eric shook his head as vomiting filled the air, "I want to help," he replied in a concerned voice.

Walter rose from his chair, a nervous expression on his face as silence suddenly filled the air. Lenny silently wandered over to the bathroom and knocked, "Dad?" Lenny asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"

Eric frowned as Lenny opened the door and went inside. Faint wheezing could be heard.

Walter silently went over to the door, "Lenny, it looks bad and your dad needs a hospital," he said in a concerned voice, seeing that Rick was semi-conscious, shivering, and struggling to breathe. "I know your dad wants you two to be safe, but this is an actual emergency and I am an adult. Will you let me help?"

Lenny nodded, "Go get some things and your dad's things," Walter instructed. "All of it."

"It's only two suitcases," Lenny replied as he moved out of the bathroom. "The rest is at my uncle's. My dad just left it and we took what we could carry. It won't take long to pack..."

Eric frowned at Walter before dialling 9-1-1 with his cell-phone while Lenny hurried off to pack.

* * *

_**Jackson Memorial Hospital - Miami**_

"...Nicky?"

A sense of weakness shot through Nick's body as he slowly opened his eyes and found himself staring at what appeared to be a tiled ceiling, "Nicky?" a concerned voice repeated. "Nicky, sweetheart..."

Nick turned his head and was shocked to see his mother's kind face staring at him with a pleased smile on her face, "Mom?" he spoke in a weak voice. "I...where am I? I'm...I'm not on the boat anymore..."

"You're at Jackson Memorial in Miami," Jillian replied softly. "You've been here about four days now."

Nick exhaled weakly, "I...I heard Grissom and McKeen yelling at each other," he spoke shakily, trying to recall what had happened before he woke. "What...what is Grissom even doing...in..._Miami_?"

The machines began to react to Nick's anxiety and Jillian gently touched Nick's face, "Nicky, calm down," she spoke gently, but firmly. "You've been through a lot and you just need to relax..."

As Nick struggled to relax, Dr. Loman came into the room and froze at seeing Nick's fearful expression, "It's all right, Mister Stokes, you're in a safe place," Dr. Loman spoke calmly. "Deep breath if you can."

Nick obeyed and the machine responded accordingly, "You were stabbed in the gut, beaten, and have _other_ injuries, but you'll recover in time as long as you don't push it," Dr. Loman explained, walking over to the bed with Nick's chart in hand. "You're in a private ICU room at your family's insistence."

Tears filled Nick's eyes, "I...I have a kid," he spoke shakily. "And I thought I heard Grissom and McKeen."

A heavy silence filled the room and Nick's expression suddenly turned fearful as he realized that it had actually happened; he had heard Grissom and McKeen fighting and they weren't here now.

"Doctor Grissom exchanged himself for your freedom from what the MDPD and the media have been saying," Dr. Loman spoke quietly. "He was here undergoing medical treatment, according to his wife..."

Nick's eyes widened in shock, "Sara's babysitting Parker in Vegas," he spoke in a faint, shaky voice.

"Parker's with your father at where we're staying," Jillian replied softly. "He's safe and misses you."

Nick sighed weakly as squeaks suddenly filled the air, "Oh, I didn't think you'd be awake!" an anxious, familiar voice suddenly filled the room. "I...I asked Calleigh if I could be the one to come by..."

"Ryan," Nick spoke in a faint voice, eyeing his friend and former colleague as he came over to the bed and lingered at a safe distance. "I heard you quit and swore never to go back to being a CSI..."

Ryan nodded, "I...Horatio offered me work and I don't want Carlos to starve because of what happened to me and Sofia," he replied softly. "I'm living with my brother and his family right now, but I want to contribute..."

"Ryan, I hope you're not rushing things because you feel you have to," Nick spoke weakly. "I...I'm..."

Ryan sighed patiently, "I'm not doing full shifts yet," he replied gently. "The most I've done is eight..."

Nick nodded as he suddenly found himself fighting sleep and Ryan paused, "I can come back another time," Ryan spoke quietly. "You...you should get some rest..."

Swallowing hard, Ryan slipped into the hallway as Nick drifted off. Dr. Loman, however, followed him and caught up to him as he reached the elevator trying to keep himself from crying.

"Officer Wolfe, there's no shame in how you feel," Dr. Loman spoke calmly. "I know that was hard..."

Ryan nodded and exhaled, "I'm sorry...it's still hard to see people lying helpless in the hospital because it reminds me of how Sofia was before she died," he admitted shakily. "I hope I didn't offend..."

Suddenly, Ryan's phone buzzed and he answered it, frowning when he heard Natalia's voice.

* * *

_**Miami-Dade University Hospital - Miami**_

"I think, given how fast you're healing and that your home is handicap accessible, you could reasonably go home tomorrow," Robert heard his doctor say as he calmly checked Robert's healing incisions. "I don't want you walking unassisted until you're further along in your therapy, but you're healing nicely."

Robert sighed, deeply surprised when the doctor didn't put clean bandages on the healing incisions before putting his gown back in place, "The takedown went very well and you're wealthy enough to pay for home care if you need it," the doctor explained calmly. "I'll arrange for your discharge tomorrow morning and then I want you to stick to using your wheelchair as much as possible and only walking with assistance..."

The ringing of a cell suddenly prompted Robert to frown and Horatio answered it for him, seeing that his nephew was busy, "Detective Caine is busy," Horatio said, frowning when he heard Natalia's voice. "What? Natalia...all right...I'll let Bobby know. You just go see what's going on. Don't worry about work."

Robert frowned as Horatio hung up the phone, "It seems that Eric unwittingly came across where Rick and Lenny have been hiding and he's currently on his way here with them because Rick had a combination of a diabetic episode and panic attack," Horatio spoke worriedly. "I..."

"Doctor, is there a chance that I could be discharged today?" Robert spoke in a quiet, but firm voice. "It seems I need to attend to some family matters and I'll take it easy, but I need to be there...involved."

The doctor nodded, "I can arrange it within the next couple of hours," he promised, seeing that Robert was determined to go attend to whatever matters needed his attention. "I'll get started on the papers..."

Robert waited until the doctor had left before sitting up, "I don't know what the heck has been going on with Rick since we got back from New York, but it ends _today_," he spoke in a firm voice, gazing at his uncle. "I don't care what I have to say or do, but I'm _going _to convince them to move back into my house because whatever's happened clearly tells me that they need the support of their family..."

Horatio silently went to Robert's bag of clothes to get him a shirt, as he too was determined to help.

* * *

"...He's a Type 2 diabetic and he's been having issues with anxiety due to a stalker named Dan Cooper," Horatio heard Eric explain as he silently lingered outside the trauma room in the emergency unit of the hospital where Rick had just been brought. "He's got a 13 year old son..."

Eric suddenly paused as he spotted Horatio lingering out in the hallway and he came out of the chaos, "H, I saw Lenny Stetler at the market and followed him home," he explained anxiously. "He and Rick have been living in a Victims Assistance condo. Dan Cooper's been trying to stalk them using phone triangulation. Walter and Jesse and Emily are involved in trying to protect them, but..."

Horatio's eyes widened slightly, "Walter, Jesse, _and_ Emily?" he replied, deeply shocked. "How?"

"Walter's been playing bodyguard during his days off," Eric replied. "He's on his way with Lenny. The staff just got Stetler into a gown and they're working him up. He might have to be admitted."

Horatio nodded, a concerned expression on his face because he didn't like that he had been left out of the loop where Rick's problems were concerned, "Lieutenant?" an anxious voice suddenly spoke.

Eric frowned at seeing Walter come into view with an anxious looking Lenny in tow, "It seems I've been kept out of the loop on your off-day activities, Walter," Horatio spoke, turning to look at Walter and Lenny calmly. "I already had to lecture Ryan about doing off the books work and now it seems..."

"I helped coach the youth basketball group that Lenny played in last year and so Sergeant Stetler trusted me," Walter replied, not offering an apology. "Rick...he's upset over Maggie cause he couldn't..."

Horatio sighed heavily, realizing that Rick hadn't taken Bobby at his word that everything was fine between them and had fled in fear of being a burden and a danger. Rick, Horatio realized, was still reeling over the Fred Yokas situation and hadn't had a chance to really work through any of it.

The talking suddenly quieted and Horatio watched as the gurney was raised, revealing a shaken, slightly awake Rick sporting an oxygen mask and a frightened expression on his face. Horatio silently wandered into the trauma room and Rick's expression softened as Horatio approached his bedside.

"Rick, you're at Miami-Dade University Hospital," Horatio spoke softly. "Walter called an ambulance because you had some serious health issues. Lenny is outside with him and he's fine."

Rick exhaled weakly and drifted into a sleep, as he was much too weak and tired to even bother trying to fight with Horatio. The medical staff continued their work and Horatio noticed Rick's clothes on a nearby chair along with his wallet. He silently took the items with him as he left the noisy trauma room.

"Lenny, can you hold on to these for your dad?" Horatio asked, passing Lenny's Rick's wallet and clothes.

Lenny nodded and accepted the items. He then quietly retreated to a row of seats to sit down, the attention of so many males making him nervous. He didn't think any one of them would hurt him like Jeffrey McKeen and Sam Braun did, but he was better off being out of the way and quiet.

Eric frowned, "Why's he so quiet and shy?" he asked worriedly. "I don't understand..."

Horatio swallowed hard, as Eric's memory still had a few gaps in it and he knew that it wasn't Eric's fault he forgot things, "Um, Eric, Jeffrey McKeen molested Lenny Stetler in Vegas last year and that was one of the reasons why Catherine gave custody of Lenny to Rick," he explained quietly. "Rick has been helping Lenny get therapy and they were living with Bobby and Natalia until recently..."

Eric nodded, a nagging feeling that he had forgotten that information at the back of his mind. As he processed that and wondered what else he might have forgotten about the Stetler's situation, Natalia came into view, "I called Ryan to cover for me and he says he'll take the rest of my shift."

"That's fine," Horatio replied in a concerned voice. "Did you send the kids to Rosa's today?"

Natalia nodded, "Lenny's over there," Walter said, pointing to the chairs. "He's upset."

Turning, Natalia walked over to Lenny and sat next to him while Walter suddenly got on his phone and moved away from the group. He needed to phone Emily and tell her that Rick had now been hospitalized after trying to care for himself and Lenny enough to keep out of sight of McKeen.

Lenny looked at Natalia worriedly, "Are you mad at my dad?" he asked softly. "He's scared you are."

Natalia looked taken aback, "No, Bobby and I have been worried about you and your dad," she replied in a concerned voice. "Lenny, can you tell me why your dad decided to take you and go into hiding?"

"Yeah," Lenny replied softly, nodding because he knew he and his dad now needed help.

* * *

_**Manhattan, New York**_

"Jo?"

Jo, who had been on her way out to grab a bite of lunch from a street vendor, turned to see Mac coming towards her, "Have you seen Flack lately?" Mac asked quietly. "I just got off the phone with a Tim Speedle in Miami about Doctor Pride. She's in the hospital and he convinced her to let one of us come get information about what happened before she returns to New York. Since he and Angell..."

"I think Flack called in sick today," Jo replied in a concerned voice. "This isn't the first time."

Mac sighed, "I'm beginning to think Sergeant Boscorelli might be right about Flack needing some help," he admitted in a quiet voice. "I might have to have a conversation with him about it..."

Jo nodded, "Hey, where's Adam today?" she asked worriedly. "Lindsay said he's out sick..."

"Jo, Adam's situation is very unique and he's handling it the best he can," Mac replied in a quiet, concerned voice. "I might go down to Miami myself to talk to Doctor Pride because she trusts so few and I don't doubt that Angell's death, plus whatever happened on the way, hurt her badly..."

A sympathetic expression filled Jo's face as she got into the elevator and was surprised when Mac followed, "I'm hungry too," he admitted calmly, fully intending to sneak over to the hospital and make sure that Adam was doing okay and that his need for privacy was being fully respected.

Grissom was broken and unconscious, but he hadn't given anything away during the torture despite having his arm broken on a rack, being tased, and being beaten with weapons. His unconscious, battered form now lay on the floor of Ivan's basement. James Scott and Darin Mitchell felt sick about it.

"Well, boys, learned your lesson yet?" McKeen asked in a cold voice as he came down the stairs and saw James and Darin staring at Grissom's limp form. "Grissom's a weak fool and you two _begged_ me to do this because you chose to go on a killing spree when you thought I wasn't watching..."

His angry expression deepening, McKeen walked over to Grissom's already injured left arm and stomped on his hand, smirking when a CRACK echoed through the air, "Do not forget that I am ALWAYS watching and I am quite angry with the mess you made!" he shouted angrily. "I think you both need a vacation and I want you to spend it getting what's left of this pathetic loser out of my sight as fast as you can."

"What are we supposed to do with him?" James asked anxiously. "We don't know this area!"

McKeen scoffed, "Didn't stop you from running amok in it," he replied coldly. "I'm sending you off to the Everglades to hide for a while. Ray Caine's mistress and his illegitimate daughter are hiding down there and have been since Bob Keaton was murdered a couple years ago. Or at least that's what Ray told me when he got drunk enough. They're in a cabin with all necessary amenities..."

"Why do we have to go?" Darin whined. "We haven't gotten to try all the clubs in Miami yet!"

McKeen swore and backhanded Darin, sending him to the floor in a heap, "I will turn you in if you don't!" he snapped in an angry voice. "I will go arrange for someone to take the three of you there!"

As McKeen stormed from the room, James quickly helped Darin to his feet, deeply shaken.

* * *

**_Jackson Hospital - Miami_**

"…You really aren't in _any_ condition to make that kind of a decision…" Tim heard a concerned voice speak as he approached Dr. Pride's hospital room, smoothie in hand. "You're still injured."

Tim entered the room just in time to see an anxious Dr. Stokes settle Dr. Pride back in bed while Emily watched worriedly, "I'm planning to plead guilty," Dr. Pride spoke shakily. "I'm a _criminal_…"

"You were a kidnapping victim just like Nick was," Dr. Stokes argued worriedly, her expression concerned as she sat on the bed with her. "You were beaten, starved, raped, and goodness knows what else…"

Dr. Pride sighed tiredly, "It would allow Horatio Caine to sleep at night and I know what I did was wrong," she replied in a tired voice, struggling not to cry. "Detective Speedle, I want you to arrest me."

"Um, I'd get fired for arresting someone who wasn't medically cleared for that," Tim lied softly as he put the smoothie on the table. "And Horatio…he doesn't like people assuming things about him."

Dr. Pride shrugged, although she didn't speak because pain from her broken ribs was overwhelming her yet again. She was also experiencing a flashback of what had happened between New York and Miami.

Fortunately, Dr. Stokes and Emily realized what was happening and Emily removed herself and Tim from the room immediately, "She's having a flashback," Emily spoke softly. "Like…like I used to…"

Tim sighed softly and silently embraced her, "This whole case is absolutely draining me, but we have to be strong for Doctor Grissom," Emily spoke anxiously. "Ryan…Ryan cares about him deeply and I know he's upset about Doctor Grissom being missing. He booked extra therapy appointments since…"

Suddenly, Tim's phone rang and he answered it, "Speedle," he said calmly, frowning when he heard Horatio on the phone. "Hey there, H. I'm not having a lot of luck interviewing Doctor Pride…"

"_Speed, just leave it for now_," Horatio replied softly. "_I need you and your wife to report to me immediately. Rick just got brought into the ER and I need to talk to both of you about what's been happening."_

* * *

_**Manhattan, New York**_

Adam was asleep, or that's what it looked like to Mac as he came to the door and saw Adam laying in a freshly made hospital bed with his back to the door and a blanket over him. He gently rapped on the door and waited. Adam could be asleep or he could simply be not feeling up to visitors.

"Come in," a tired voice spoke, prompting Mac to suddenly be concerned even more.

Mac entered the room and walked around the bed, surprised to see that Adam was awake, but looking very groggy, "Mac," Adam spoke weakly. "I…I didn't expect you to actually come visit me here."

"How are the tests going?" Mac asked as he grabbed a chair and planted himself beside the bed.

Adam sighed, "They did a neuro exam earlier and took some blood," he replied. "They also did a spinal tap not too long ago and that's why I'm on my side. I…nobody else knows about this, do they?"

"Nobody but Sid and I and Chief Sinclair," Mac replied reassuringly. "If it is epilepsy, I already talked to Sinclair. Your job will be safe and concessions will be made for your health. If it's not, we'll work with that too."

Adam nodded, "Lindsay was there for the seizure," he replied. "I'm _scared_…she might see me as a freak."

"I doubt that," Mac replied calmly. "Whether you have actual epilepsy or just severe PTSD, you also have friends who will stand by you in your illness. Family, Adam, doesn't always mean blood relatives…"

It was apparent to Mac that Adam was fighting sleep simply because he was there and so he decided to excuse himself, "Why don't you rest for now?" Mac suggested. "I'll come by later. Bring you supper?"

Sighing, Adam drifted off and Mac quietly excused himself. He moved down the hallway to John's hospital room, poked his head in, and saw that while John was asleep, Bosco was wide awake. The off-duty sergeant had rearranged the furniture and had moved the easychair beside the bed.

"Hey there, Detective Taylor," Bosco spoke calmly. "Don't worry about being quiet. I talked John into taking some pain medication after he had lunch and he won't be awake for hours now."

Mac nodded, "Danielle's working, but she's in a mood cause Faith recommended her for an award over what she did for Emily Yokas," Bosco explained. "I don't know if Dani will come til later tonight…"

"I heard that your wife is getting an award," Mac replied calmly. "You must be very proud of her."

Bosco sighed, "We're all proud of Danielle, but she's mad that she saved the life of the girl who raped John," he explained quietly. "She'll accept the award, but she doesn't have to be happy about it."

Mac sighed, "Um, I was wondering," he said, changing the subject. "Have you seen Flack lately?"

"He's taking sick days and filed the proper paperwork," Bosco replied quietly, his expression serious as he eyed Mac suspiciously. "I hope he's getting help, but I won't be surprised if he's gone off the deep end."

Mac shrugged and silently left as Bosco turned his attention to a book that he had brought with him, clearly not wanting to talk anymore about Flack. Uneasiness filled Mac as he left the floor via the elevator after a short walk, something that followed him as he made his way to the main lobby.

As most main lobbies in New York buildings, the hospital's main lobby was busy and Mac simply allowed himself a period of silence as he made his way to the exit. When he was just about to the exit that would lead outside, something out of the corner of his eye suddenly caught his attention and he paused.

Retired NYPD cop John Sullivan was walking alongside a drained looking, trembling Flack, who was sporting a hospital housecoat, a gown, sunglasses, sweats, slippers, and walking with one arm on Sully's while the other was clinging to an IV pole that had a bag on it, "…It'll get better after your body adjusts to not having it," Sully said quietly. "You absolutely did the right thing by asking for my help…"

Mac's eyes widened in shock as the two ambled off down a hallway that was marked 'Behavioral Health Unit.' He was stunned and concerned that Flack was in the hospital for what appeared to be alcohol withdrawals and mental health issues; Flack was his friend and he needed to be supportive.

Unable to simply leave and forget what he had just seen, Mac went down the same hallway and found himself in an in-patient unit. He quickly spotted Sully and Flack sitting on a couch in a hospital room and reluctantly made himself visible to them. Sully sighed, but Flack silently retreated to the bed with the help of his IV pole, "Don?" Mac asked in a concerned voice. "I didn't know you were here."

Flack sighed as he removed his sunglasses and set them on the table where his phone already sat on a charger, "I've been here for about a day and a half and it's being privately funded by Victims Assistance," he explained quietly. "Officer Sullivan left me a card after he and Boscorelli did an intervention and once I sobered up, I realized that I wasn't okay. I got messed up from the attack that killed Jess…"

Mac nodded and Flack sighed, "John Sullivan's an advocate, so he was able to make arrangements here for me even though Gil Grissom's missing," Flack explained with a sigh. "I'll be working Christmas probably, but I managed to file the paperwork for sick leave right now. Sergeant Boscorelli hates my guts, as does Boscorelli Junior, and I don't blame them. I did and said some things that were out of line…"

"John doesn't hate you," Mac replied quietly. "And I bet Sergeant Boscorelli doesn't even know you're here either, but I'm not going to tell him. You're entitled to privacy while you're here, Don."

Flack shrugged, "Doesn't mean I'll have a job when I get out," he replied as he laid down. "I'm tired."

"I'll bring you some supper later, all right?" Sully replied. "I should get going home anyway."

Flack nodded and closed his eyes as Sully left with Mac at his heels. Sully left in a hurry, so Mac didn't have a chance to talk to him. However, Mac knew that this situation between Bosco and Flack could not go on forever and he fully intended to talk to Flack once Flack was well enough to have a conversation.

* * *

**_Jackson Memorial Hospital – Miami, Florida_**

"…_He'll need to be here for a few days so his blood sugar can be brought up…"_

"…_After he's released from here, he and his son will be moving back in with us and I'll personally ensure that he gets the rest that he needs. I'm on medical leave from the PD right now, so I can guarantee…"_

Soft beeping filled his ears and Rick opened his eyes, deeply surprised to see himself staring at what looked like a tiled ceiling. He felt like absolute crap and he figured he was in a hospital room.

"Dad!" Lenny's anxious voice suddenly filled the air. "Uncle Bobby, Dad's awake!"

Rick suddenly found Robert standing over him holding a walker, "You're walking," he managed to say.

"And you and Lenny are moving back in," Robert replied firmly. "I've been made aware of everything."

Rick scoffed, "I'm hardly in any shape to argue with you over that," he replied weakly. "I'm sorry."

A chair was suddenly pushed into view and Robert sat, "We already went over this at Christmas, Rick," he explained in a firm voice. "I do not blame you for Maggie. You were injured and there's no way, from what I heard, that you could have possibly done anything different. You were a victim…"

"She's afraid of me, Bobby," Rick replied softly. "I can see it in her eyes when she looks at me."

Robert scowled, "She's _concerned_ about you," he corrected gently. "She's asked both Natalia and I if you're sick or sad because you don't enjoy talking or hugging or anything that you used to…"

"Probably both," Rick replied in a groggy voice. "What exactly happened to me anyway?"

Robert sighed, "Anxiety attack combined with dangerously low blood sugar," he replied gently.

Rick exhaled weakly, "Dan Cooper's been trying to stalk me," he admitted quietly. "Lenny…"

"He's going back to our house with Natalia," Robert replied calmly. "She got the day off."

In the hallway, Horatio stood with Tim, Emily, Jesse, and Walter, all of them watching as Natalia and Lenny talked quietly several feet away. A moment passed and then Natalia led Lenny over to them.

"Um, Doctor Speedle, will you still come talk to me even though Dad and I are gonna move back in with my Uncle Bobby and Aunt Natalia?" Lenny asked softly, gazing nervously at Emily. "I still need to talk."

Emily nodded, "Of course I will, Lenny," she promised softly. "For right now, though, I want you to go with your aunt and spend some time with her and your cousins, all right? Your dad needs to rest."

"Horatio, I need to take some sick days," Natalia spoke calmly. "Just til Rick gets out of the hospital."

Horatio nodded calmly, "Of course, Natalia," he replied calmly. "See you in a few days."

Once Natalia and Lenny had left, Emily sighed, "Lieutenant Caine, I'm sorry that Jesse, Walter, and I had to keep you in the dark," she spoke apologetically. "When Grissom disappeared, we had to rely on a secondary organization that I've been using Bernard's money to fund in order to help the Stetlers. Ever since Sofia's death, Doctor Grissom has been taking a lot of heat and threats and so he asked Jesse and I to dually fund a secondary organization in case Victims' Assistance suddenly became unavailable."

Concern filled Horatio's face, "Is Ryan aware of this?" he asked softly. "That sounds _dangerous_, Emily."

"No, H, he's not," Tim spoke up softly, sighing. "Ryan actually went and visited Nick Stokes today briefly and then ended up having a panic attack so bad he went home. He called as I was coming here and he was going to cover for Natalia, but he ended up not being able to. Do you want me to call him?"

Horatio's eyes narrowed, "Ryan was visiting Nick Stokes?" he asked softly. "Why?"

"He said Calleigh asked him to interview Nick," Tim replied worriedly. "She and Eric are at CSI."

A dark expression crossed Horatio's face as he realized that Eric and Calleigh had given Ryan a sensitive assignment on _purpose_. He had arranged his CSI's in such a way to keep Ryan away from Nick because any reminders of Las Vegas could trigger Ryan and he _wanted_ Ryan's return to be successful.

"Walter, I'd like you to hang around and guard Rick's room," Horatio spoke in an unusually firm voice as he looked at the group present. "Speed, Jesse, I'd like you back to the lab as soon as possible please."

Tim kissed Emily before leaving in a hurry with Jesse at his heels while Walter retrieved a chair from nearby and planted himself outside of Rick's hospital room. Horatio nodded his assent as he moved away and Emily followed, only stopping when they both got to the atrium further down the hallway.

"Before you ask, Emily, you're not in for a reprimand," Horatio replied softly as he sat on a couch. "I was in the cafeteria with my nephew earlier and we got to discussing the trial. I had some bad anxiety…"

Nodding, Emily joined Horatio on the couch, "I'm listening," she replied in a patient, reassuring voice.

"Every day that passes is one day closer to the trial and I'm literally dreading having to talk what happened to me at LaRusso Ranch," Horatio replied softly, his expression somber. "McKeen's still in the wind and even though I've been told that those who worked with him will testify, I'm terrified…"

Emily sighed, "It's perfectly normal to be terrified," she explained softly. "You went through something absolutely horrible and now you're going to have to talk about it in court. I don't blame you for being scared about the trial. If it will help, I can prescribe you some sleeping medication to help you with…"

"I'm cautious about medication," Horatio admitted softly, sighing. "It will make me feel vulnerable."

Emily nodded, "If you _don't_ want medication to help with the anxiety, we can increase our sessions and talk it out," she offered, completely understanding Horatio's reluctance to let himself feel vulnerable.

"I think I'd like that," Horatio replied kindly. "Could we talk a bit more right now?"

Emily nodded and listened attentively as Horatio began to speak about his more recent anxieties.

* * *

**_Deep in the Florida Everglades_**

Suzie Barnham-Keaton was making a late lunch that day, as she and Madison had gotten up late and Madison was still tired. Between being in remission and the stress that McKeen had put them under, she tired easily and so Suzie had forgone the morning's schoolwork; she had sent Madison back to bed.

A knock suddenly sounded at the door and Suzie froze; only one person knew that she was here, but Ray had been killed last year in Vegas. Before she could move out of the kitchen, the door opened and a strongman that Suzie didn't recognize came into the house, "Who are you?" she asked anxiously.

The strongman, however, didn't reply and merely watched as James and Darin carried a stretcher holding an unconscious, battered Grissom into the living room, "Who's that?" Suzie asked softly.

Letting out a dark chuckle, the strongman left and briefly returned with a couple of suitcases. He threw the suitcases on the carpet before leaving in a hurry, slamming the door behind him as he left.

"Ma'am, do you have a bed for Doctor Grissom?" James asked nervously, gazing at Suzie anxiously. "He's sick and he's got some weird burns on his chest, but McKeen tortured him on a rack…"

Suzie frowned as she looked down at Grissom and noticed the radiation burns on his chest. She realized that the man, who she now recognized from the news as being Gil Grissom from Las Vegas, was obviously undergoing treatment for cancer. He looked much like Madison did when she was sick.

"He can have my bed," Suzie replied softly. "Did you guys want to carry him and help me settle him?"

Even though they wanted to wash their hands of Grissom and run, both boys nodded and carried the stretcher into the bedroom where Suzie led them. The bedroom was simply decorated and neither boy took the time to focus on much beside moving Grissom from the stretcher to the double bed.

As Suzie tucked him into bed, Grissom let out a weak groan, but didn't wake, "What exactly happened to him?" she asked in a concerned voice, frowning at the boys. "You said something about McKeen?"

"Yeah," James replied anxiously, tears filling his eyes. "McKeen said he knows where Ray hid you and that you could take care of Doctor Grissom. McKeen's mad at us cause we killed a few people in Miami…"

Darin scoffed, "Dude, we also shot up a hotel," he replied anxiously. "McKeen wants us dead for that!"

"Why don't you kids stay here for a bit?" Suzie suggested nervously. "We have only one phone, but we have a TV and books and you can help me look after Doctor Grissom. He needs lots of care…"

James frowned, "Is he sick?" he asked worriedly. "Is that why he has those burns on his chest?"

"Those are radiation burns," Suzie explained quietly. "Doctor Grissom was probably undergoing…"

James and Darin exchanged an anxious look, "Cancer treatment," they spoke in anxious unison.

Suzie gave both boys a look as she left the room to find the first-aid supplies, "Dude, what have we _done_?!" James spoke anxiously, watching Grissom take slow, shallow breaths. "He's got _cancer_…."

"We'll think of a plan to get us out of this," Darin promised even though he didn't know how.

* * *

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	17. Nothing to Lose: Part 1

_**One Week Later**_

_**Miami, Florida**_

Robert and Natalia's mansion was quiet, but Rick preferred quiet because he was so tired and just wanted to rest. He didn't want to run into his son or his niece and nephews and accidentally get crabby with them; he was grateful that the hospital had allowed him to leave in a cab instead of making him wait for pick up. A flash of the badge, a promise to be careful, and anxiety had helped him manage it.

The anxiety wasn't about going to stay with his former brother-in-law and family, as he really did love and appreciate their kindnesses. The anxiety came from a piece of mail that had come from the higher-ups the day before stating that his competency as head of IAB was going to be examined and he could possibly face demotion, transfer to a different department, or an outright firing. Miami had found out about the kafuffle involving Fred Yokas and they weren't happy with him. They were fully prepared to hand the department to Dr./Detective Emily Speedle should he fail the review that was planned.

A weak sigh escaped Rick's lips as he quietly closed the front door and locked it before stepping out of his shoes and leaning against the wall, exhausted from all the travel. He had one duffel bag containing his medicine and personal things, but it felt like a truckload of lead and his body was petering out fast.

"Rick?"

Rick scoffed at the familiar voice, "The hospital called and told me to expect you in a cab," Robert spoke in a concerned voice as he used crutches to move closer to Rick. "I could have come and got you."

"What, and add fuel to the fire?" Rick replied as he turned around and saw Robert. "Crutches? Already?"

Robert nodded, "Therapy's going better than expected and I should be able to walk without aids by June," he explained in a calm voice, frowning. "I'm also cleared to drive the truck short distances."

Fighting the urge to swear, Rick nodded, "I got a letter from the higher-ups and my competency's being reviewed because of the mess with Fred Yokas," he admitted before he could stop himself. "If it goes south, I could get demoted, transferred, or outright fired. Doctor Speedle would take my place."

Robert's eyes widened in shock, "What?" he replied in a stunned voice. "When did this happen?"

"That's why I told you all not to come visit yesterday," Rick replied tiredly. "I was reading the letter."

Robert nodded, "Can I read it while we eat?" he asked worriedly. "We did some baking yesterday, the kids and I, while Natalia was at work. I was about to eat, but you might as well join me...please?"

"All right," Rick replied in a quiet voice, sighing. "I'm on paid leave til the review anyway."

Robert sighed, "Do you mind if I call my uncle about this?" he asked. "Maybe he can help."

"You might as well even though I think he can't," Rick replied. "He'll find out soon enough anyway because the Chief will tell all the department heads. Did you say something about breakfast?"

Nodding, Robert led Rick into the kitchen, knowing that he had to handle the situation very carefully.

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

It was early, but Danielle and Maurice Boscorelli were wide awake as they arrived at Angel of Mercy Hospital to take John home. It was a short time until the trial and John was expected to be present there for a good deal of it, so they were determined to have him rest as much as possible beforehand.

When they got to John's room, they found him dressed in socks, jeans, sneakers, a loose t-shirt, and a hoodie, but he was snoozing on his bed with his backpack at his side. To their surprise, Carlos was also in the room and waiting by a wheelchair, a kind expression on his face as he watched John sleep.

"Hey, is our boy ready?" Danielle asked softly, smiling at Carlos. "How's the summer work going, Carlos?"

Carlos sighed as he looked at his friends, "Tommy's classes are done for term, so he's able to help Holly with Kylie more and I'm able to get more shifts," he explained quietly. "I took the IV's out while John was sleeping, but you should also know he was up at five getting dressed and looking out the window…"

Bosco nodded, his expression concerned, "I can hear talking," John spoke in a groggy voice, waking up.

Danielle responded by going over to him and hugging him, "Mom, I thought you'd be getting ready for the award ceremony later?" John asked in a tired, but pleased voice. "What time is it?"

"It's about six a.m. and yes, I will go to the ceremony later," Danielle replied softly. "Ready to go?"

John sighed as he sat up, "I'm so _tired_," he admitted softly. "I just want to be in bed today."

"Yeah, you're going to be in bed today," Bosco spoke firmly. "Your ma and I have to go to her ceremony later today, but you can stay home. Your grandparents and other family will be at home with you."

John frowned, "Caira?" he asked softly. "She hasn't been around at all this week. Is she okay?"

"She's been on the phone with her brother a lot," Danielle explained gently. "The trial's coming up and her brother's scared about possibly getting forced to testify. He just needs constant reassurance."

John exhaled, "I hope I didn't break Colin," he confessed. "Truth be told, I'm scared about it too."

Bosco gave John a look, but John merely sighed, "Once I learned that stuff about what he and Caira went through, I couldn't hate him for what he did to me," John explained quietly. "I was once like him; angry, depressed, and headed towards trouble. I wrote an impact statement so he could finish his degree once the hospital he's in and his guardian deem it all right. Anyway, when's the doctor coming to let me out?"

"I take you to the nurse's station and _then_ we get you out," Carlos explained calmly. "Ready?"

Nodding, John slowly sat up and Danielle quickly helped him into the wheelchair before grabbing his bag off the bed. His other things were already at home, as his parents had come to get them yesterday.

The journey to the nurse's station was done in silence and Carlos was quick with getting the at-home care instructions together and giving them to Danielle. Soon enough, they were free to leave.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

Tim Speedle was early to work that day simply because Horatio would soon be going to New York for the trial and he would be serving as temporary supervisor while the boss was gone. Horatio had asked him to come early so they could go over paperwork and expectations and Tim had calmly agreed.

As Tim approached the desk to sign in, however, he saw a courier standing by the desk looking as if he had already been in the lab for a while, "Timothy Speedle?" the courier asked hopefully.

"Yes?" Tim asked suspiciously, frowning when the courier suddenly produced an envelope. "What…?"

The courier sighed and handed the envelope to Tim before offering a clipboard, "You've been served," he explained in an official voice. "Your wife, Doctor Emily Wolfe Speedle has also been served. Sign here."

Tim complied and only after the courier left the floor did he open the envelope, read the letter, and promptly curse loudly while chucking the letter across the floor, "Speedle!" a voice called out.

Panic filled Tim as he saw Calleigh marching towards him, having seen the entire thing, "I…" he began.

"I'm not mad, but what's with the cursing and anger?" Calleigh asked worriedly as she reached him.

Tim sighed irritably as he collected the envelope and the letter, "I got subpoenaed for the trial in June," he explained in a tired voice. "I was with Horatio the day he got kidnapped, remember?"

Calleigh frowned, "H was gonna have me run the lab while he was gone, but I guess I can't now," Tim explained irritably, his expression pained. "I…I can't do this. Calleigh…I need some time alone."

Without waiting for a response, Tim speedwalked into the nearest bathroom and sank down against the wall just inside the door. He felt squeamish and worthless and didn't want to think about the trial at all.

* * *

It was early, but Caira Jamison was wide awake and feeling extremely nervous as she entered the old school building with Yelina at her heels. She had been under a great deal of stress that week because Colin was recounting the events of the previous October and November so someone from Vegas could bring his testimony to New York for the trial. He had phoned several times in fits of heavy anxiety.

As sympathetic and compassion as Caira had wanted to be, she was also very drained by the constant calls and was now being reminded of her violent childhood. She had gone into the foster system from age 13 to age 18 and was trying to sort out her demons with the help of John and his family, but she also wanted John to rest before they talked again. Group therapy was something she was also willing to try simply to know that she wasn't alone in experiencing violent crimes and situations.

Instead of seeking help on her own, Caira had quietly asked Danielle and Bosco for help and they had directed her to the proper resources. Yelina had gallantly offered to walk with her to the meeting closest to the apartment, as none of the adults wanted her walking around the city alone right then.

The sight of a circle of chairs inside of one of the classrooms prompted Caira to pause, "If you don't feel comfortable, we can always go back to the apartment," Yelina spoke softly. "You don't _have_ to do this."

"I want to," Caira replied, sighing as she opened the door and entered the classroom only to find a lean, dark-haired man making some coffee in the corner. "Excuse me, sir? Is this the support group for survivors of violent crimes? I wanted to come to one that wasn't too far from where I'm staying…"

The man turned and both Caira and Yelina were surprised to see Flack standing there, "Detective Flack?" both women said in quiet unison as the three of them stared at each other, all of them surprised.

"Yeah, um, the person who runs the group is running late," Flack spoke quietly, sighing before he helped himself to some fresh coffee. "I have to go back to work today, so I chose this earlier group…"

Caira nodded and quietly found a seat, "Detective Flack, for what it's worth, I'm sorry about Detective Angell," she spoke in a quiet voice. "I….I saw it on the news and read about it in the papers…"

"Thank you," Flack replied softly as he walked over to a chair near the corner and sat while transferring his coffee cup to his non-dominant hand because his dominant one was shaking. "Stupid tremor…"

Caira sighed, "Popping a punching bag helps," she replied softly. "I have one in my apartment."

Flack looked surprised, but didn't say anything because more people, including Group Leader Jason Christopher, were arriving. Not wanting to get on Christopher's bad side when he was already on so many people's bad side, Flack sighed made a mental note to talk to Yelina and Caira after the meeting.

* * *

_**Florida Everglades**_

"…_Dude, I'm telling you his hand twitched. He's waking up and he's going to be pissed…"_

"_Shut up and stay here while I go talk to Miss Susie. She said she was making soup…"_

A sense of weakness filled Grissom's body as he slowly woke and found himself staring at an anxious looking James Mitchell, who was lingering at the end of the bed, "Um, hi," James spoke nervously.

Grissom automatically tried to move his left arm to help him sit up, but it didn't budge. He looked down and frowned at seeing his sleeved arm in a makeshift sling resting against his chest, "Um, your arm's broken from McKeen's rack," James spoke nervously. "Miss Suzie says you have cancer…the burns…"

"I do, yes," Grissom replied in a quiet, groggy voice. "Where…am I dead or in a coma?"

James suddenly looked frightened, "No, sir, you're in this weird little house in the Everglades that Miss Suzie and her kid own," he explained nervously. "McKeen had you dumped here to die…"

"And yet I'm not dead," Grissom replied quietly, frowning as Darin and Susie came into the bedroom.

Susie sighed, "It's good to see you awake," she spoke kindly. "My name's Susie Keaton…"

"Keaton?" Grissom replied groggily, frowning. "I remember you and Bob…and your daughter…"

Susie nodded, "I made some soup and you should get your strength up," she offered. "Want any?"

"Before I got sick, I was somewhat of a picky eater, but I need something to help me feel better," Grissom replied in a groggy voice as a wave of nausea suddenly overtook him. "I'm feeling a little…"

Susie immediately retrieved a bucket from the floor and thrust it into Grissom's lap, but Grissom didn't throw up, "He needs a doctor," James spoke anxiously. "Didn't Nick Stokes say his sister was one?"

"Nick Stokes...yeah," Darin replied nervously. "How are we gonna get access to Nick Stokes, though?"

James picked up one of the papers from the pile on the dresser, "The media listed what hospital he's at and one of us can go sneak up on him," he explained. "We can _make _him take us to his sister..."

"One of us has to stay here to look after _him_," Darin hissed angrily, gesturing to Grissom.

James sighed, "Get me a disguise and I'll go to Jackson Hospital for Nick," he replied in an anxious voice. "We were left a boat for emergencies and there's a dock right near the hospital district..."

The two left the room and Grissom sighed weakly; as much as he wanted to warn Nick of what was to come, he was barely able to stay awake and speak coherent sentences. Susie looked at him worriedly.

"Do you want to try some soup?" Susie asked in a gentler voice. "It might help you feel better."

Grissom wanted very much to say yes, as he hadn't eaten in a long time and food would no doubt help, but he was too exhausted to say anything more. Instead, he found himself again slipping into blackness as the need for sleep claimed him. Susie frowned and went to get Madison fed before she complained of being hungry. Madison had been kind to Grissom, spending time each day reading to him in hopes that it would help him feel better, and she would want to help him even more now that he was semi-coherent.

* * *

**_Jackson Hospital – Miami_**

Anxiety filled Ryan as he made his way down the hallway to Nick's hospital room. He had spent the last week in counselling and reflecting on his actions and was now ready to apologize to Nick for behaving unprofessionally around him. Truth be told, Ryan did harbor a small grudge against anything to do with the Las Vegas Crime Lab for Sofia's death, but it wasn't right and he _needed_ to make things right. He had skipped work to do this and fully intended on explaining himself later after the visit was over.

As Ryan entered the hospital room, he was surprised to see Nick awake and staring at the ceiling with a distressed expression on his face, "Um, hi Nick," he spoke softly. "Are you up for a visitor?"

"Hey," Nick spoke softly, gazing at Ryan. "Yeah, I guess. I just ate and I'm kinda down right now."

Ryan nodded and edged his way into the room, grabbing a chair to sit beside the bed as he approached his former colleague, "Parker's with my mom and dad right now, but they'll be by later," Nick spoke in a quiet voice. "People want to send me gifts and stuff, but the sight of all that makes me uncomfortable."

"It doesn't feel real, does it?" Ryan asked. "To be out of the situation you were in?"

Nick sighed, "Now I know kinda how you and Sofia must have felt," he confessed. "It doesn't..."

"Sofia and I were actually kept in separate areas, but she wasn't alone," Ryan replied gently. "John Boscorelli was with Sofia and made her think I was there so she wouldn't be upset or scared."

Nick nodded, "I remember John saying that," he replied. "That was a good of him to do."

"I...I'd like to apologize for acting unprofessional during our last encounter," Ryan spoke shakily.

Nick looked surprised, "Dude, you _weren't_," he replied softly. "You're still grieving a lot..."

"I had a panic attack in the hall and got a reprimand from Calleigh for skipping out on the rest of my shift after visiting you," Ryan confessed softly, sighing. "I should have been more professional in my conduct."

Before Nick, who was taken aback by Ryan's apology, could reply, Alexx came into the room having been asked to check on Nick because his regular doctor was sick, "Alexx," Ryan spoke in a warm voice.

Alexx promptly hugged Ryan and kissed the top of his head, "I've missed you so much, baby," she spoke in a warm, motherly voice. "I heard you were back doing half-shifts at the lab?"

Ryan nodded, "Do you need me to leave so you can examine Nick?" he asked uncertainly.

"No, man, you can stay," Nick replied in a calm voice, considerably calmed by Ryan's presence.

Offering another nod, Ryan moved out of the way, "Your regular doctor's in sick and so I was assigned to help you today," Alexx explained to Nick as she showed him the chart in her hand. "Is that all right?"

"Yeah," Nick replied softly as a youthful looking man wearing sunglasses and dressed in orderly clothes and a black tuque came into the room. "Hey, um, I didn't call for an orderly or anything..."

The orderly, however, wasn't listening and looked around briefly before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a knife, his expression dark as he faced Nick, Ryan, and Alex, "Stokes, you gotta take me to your doctor sister, man," the voice spoke, causing Nick to frown. "Doctor Grissom's _dying_..."

Nick quickly recognized the voice and frowned, "James Scott from Vegas?" he asked in a confused voice, frowning at the mention of Grissom. "Wait, man, what do you mean Grissom's dying?!"

James whipped off his sunglasses and threw them at the bed, "Get me your sister!" he whimpered.

"She's not working today," Nick replied anxiously, raising his hands. "Where's Grissom at, James?"

James trembled, "Dude, if I don't get a doctor, he'll _die_," he replied as he broke into tears. "I need one!"

Alexx paused and moved away from the bed, but Ryan grabbed her arm, "_Alexx_..." he began anxiously.

"If you're so insistent on trying to protect people, Wolfe, why don't you join your friend?" James asked in a cold voice, his expression dark as he raised the knife. "It's _obvious_ that Stokes can't move..."

Nick began reaching for the portable table because it held his phone, but James scowled, "You call the cops and Grissom _dies_," James hissed angrily. "Do you _really _want to be responsible for that when he saved your life, Stokes? He gave himself up for you and he's got burns from cancer treatment..."

"_What_?" Nick replied in a shaking voice, suddenly feeling as if he had been dropped in ice water.

James scoffed and Alexx moved forward, "Ryan, honey, just let me go with him," she said softly.

"You're not going alone," Ryan spoke anxiously as he moved forward. "Where's Grissom at?"

James sighed anxiously and gestured out the door, "We're going for a walk and I'll take you there by boat," he replied, putting the knife away. "Do anything dumb and I'll just let him die..."

"I'll have to get supplies on the way out," Alexx spoke in a quiet voice. "So I can help Doctor Grissom."

James suddenly glared at Nick, "If you stop us from leaving, he _dies_," he hissed. "Remember that."

Nick froze, an expression of anxious terror on his face as he watched James leave with Alexx and Ryan in tow. Not wanting anything to happen to Grissom, Nick silently grabbed his phone and simply held it while keeping an eye on the clock. After what seemed like an eternity, the roar of a boat motor filled the air indicating that James had gotten what he needed and was now on his way back to Grissom.

Ignoring the shaking in his hands, Nick dialed 9-1-1 and prayed someone would answer quickly.

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

Every step was slow and closely monitored, but John eventually made it back to the family apartment. The first thing he noticed as he went inside was that it was quiet; only his grandfather was in the kitchen feeding Nicolas in the high chair. A diabetic-friendly breakfast plate, however, sat on the kitchen counter.

John didn't hesitate; he had already taken his shot at the hospital and he was quite hungry. He silently set his shoes and bag aside before going over to the counter. Sully, however, was faster and got the plate from the counter, "Table," Sully spoke gently. "It's been all measured out."

Nodding, John sat at the table and promptly began to eat once the plate and cutlery were in front of him, "I'll walk David, Ellie, and Ray to school this morning," Danielle spoke in a calm voice, sighing.

Bosco nodded and Danielle moved off to wake them up, "Mom, do you want me to come to your award ceremony today?" John spoke nervously in the midst of eating. "I...can..."

Danielle turned from the bedrooms and walked over to him, gently giving him a hug from behind, "Kiddo, you don't have to pretend to be brave just for me," she replied gently. "It's too soon for you..."

A weak sigh escaped John's lips, "Yeah," he admitted shakily. "I don't wanna go out right now, not even to the mailbox downstairs. I just want to sleep and chat with Caira and maybe watch TV..."

"Caira and Yelina are still out," Sully spoke calmly. "But they'll be home before lunch, I think."

John nodded and turned his attention back to his food in silence. He knew Caira and Yelina had gone to a meeting for people involved in violent situations, as Caira had told him, and he supported her needing it.

* * *

**_Miami, Florida_**

"Speed?"

The sound of someone knocking on the door filled the air and Tim looked up from the sink. It had taken an eternity for him to stop blocking the door with his body and move to the sink, but he had done it. He didn't, however, want to leave the safety of the bathroom because he was still too anxious.

"Speed," the voice repeated, only it was closer. "Speed, Calleigh told me what happened..."

Tim sighed as he turned and saw Horatio a few feet away, looking concerned, "I got subpoenaed," he admitted in an upset voice. "They're going to rip me apart on the stand and blame me for..."

"No, Speed, because it wasn't your fault," Horatio interrupted softly. "It just _happened_."

Tim shrugged and Horatio sighed, "I know you're not up for work today, but we have a problem and I need everyone on their A-game right now," Horatio explained. "There was an incident at Jackson Hospital. James Scott from the Vegas case snuck in dressed as an orderly, took Ryan and Alexx hostage, threatened Nick Stokes, and then took off in a boat. The Chief wants all hands on deck for this..."

"Ryan...what was he _doing_ at Jackson Hospital?" Tim asked worriedly, frowning. "He called in _sick_..."

Horatio sighed, "It might have been his code for needing a counselling session and not wanting to alert anyone to it, so I'll let it slide," he replied calmly. "Once we look into this Speed, I'll release you if you need to go home. At any rate, I'll speak to Calleigh and ask her to oversee the lab while you're away."

Tim nodded and composed himself before following Horatio out of the bathroom, not speaking as he and Horatio went to the elevator and saw Walter, Jesse, Calleigh, and Eric there, "I called Natalia and Bobby to let them know what's happened," Jesse spoke quietly. "Just in case we need help."

"I think Bobby and Natalia are quite busy today, Jesse," Horatio replied simply, not wanting to share that Robert had phoned him not too long ago, sharing that Rick had just been released from the hospital and was currently battling a competency review that forced him on paid leave. "We'll have to manage..."

Emily suddenly came down the hallway looking official and concerned, "Ah, Emily..." Horatio began.

"I'm afraid I can't help you with whatever you need, Lieutenant Caine," Emily spoke in an unusually official voice as she looked at Calleigh. "Chief Burton received your request to have Calleigh Duquesne lead the lab while you're away in New York and he wants her assessed by IAB before he approves it."

Horatio and Calleigh frowned, "Did Rick put you up to this, Emily?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"Lieutenant, Sergeant Stetler is on paid suspension pending a competency review and I am temporarily in charge of Internal Affairs for MDPD," Emily spoke in a formal voice, ignoring the gasps that came from everyone except for Tim because he already knew about it. "Until I assess Duquesne, she is not to act in a supervisory role for your lab. The official letter about it is on your desk, but since I saw you leaving..."

Eric scoffed, "Isn't that a conflict of interest considering you served Calleigh and I once at a bar?" he asked in a confused voice, frowning at Emily. "What makes you think you can just come play cop?"

"I am a _fully _qualified police officer," Emily replied firmly, her expression stern. "And _you_ are out of line, Officer Delko."

Horatio quickly stepped between Eric and Emily, as he knew Emily had the authority to suspend Eric if she had cause and Eric was bordering on providing cause with his attitude, "Eric, why don't you stay here?" he suggested in a concerned voice. "Calleigh, why don't you go with Doctor Speedle?"

"Horatio, we need people to go to the scene," Calleigh replied in a concerned voice, frowning.

Horatio sighed, "Nick Stokes is _not_ going to benefit from Eric's volatility and you should get the assessment out of the way as soon as possible," he replied firmly. "Speed, Walter, with me. Jesse, I want you to get in touch with Las Vegas because Nick mentioned Doctor Grissom and the doctor has a wife..."

"I'm on it," Jesse promised, nodding as Horatio left with Speed and Walter in tow.

Calleigh eyed Emily uncertainly while Eric stalked off to sulk and Jesse went off to call Vegas, "I guess it's just you and me now, Detective Speedle," she spoke in a quiet, but respectful voice. "I hope I pass."

* * *

**_Manhattan, New York_**

"That uniform looks hot on you," Bosco spoke in an amused voice, a grin on his face as he watched Danielle straighten her FDNY dress uniform as the two walked down the hallway of the FDNY Headquarters Building to the office where the award presentation would take place. "If we weren't in a public building..."

Danielle sighed anxiously, "Maurice, I don't want to do this," she spoke softly. "The award...I can't..."

Bosco frowned, "We can sneak off," he replied softly. "I know you're angry about it..."

"I'm starting to feel like I did back when I was in the cabin with Edward, Maurice," Danielle spoke in a concerned, quiet voice as she paled. "I was _forced_ to play a part to appease the demands of others..."

Completely understanding where his wife was coming from, as Tara had forced the same thing out of him while taking advantage of him, Bosco nodded and led his wife out of sight to a bench where they both sat, "I don't know _why _Faith insisted on the pomp and circumstance for this," Danielle spoke in an upset voice, exhaling angrily. "Her daughter helped Jeffrey McKeen almost kill John..is this her way of trying to make peace? Emily got out of going to jail because she's mentally unstable and pregnant..."

"She's under Faith's guardianship for the rest of her life, though," Bosco replied calmly. "That's something more than I _thought_ would happen. I thought she'd get to go free like she did before."

Danielle exhaled softly and then stood, "We should get this over with," she spoke quietly, sighing.

Bosco nodded and rose, staying close to his wife as they walked off to the appointed room and entered, expecting a crowd. What they found, however, was Mac, Danny, Jason Christopher, Jimmy, Reed, a photographer that Danielle didn't know, and the FDNY Commissioner, all of whom were in dressy clothes, "Mrs. Boscorelli, it's nice of you to join us," the FDNY Commissioner spoke calmly.

Danielle nodded, "Bosco phoned and said you didn't want a massive crowd, so I asked Detective Taylor to make arrangements for a smaller gathering," Jimmy explained calmly. "I'm acting Lieutenant over your crew, so I'll present the award, the Commissioner's here for a photo op, Reed Garrett was brought by Mac to do a short interview, and..."

"I know we just barely found out we were brother and sister, Danielle, but I thought you might want a big brother's support today," Danny spoke up as he approached Danielle. "Lindsay wants to invite you and your family over for supper tonight to celebrate. You've got a big family, but we have room..."

Danielle sighed, "Danny, John just got out of the hospital today and I don't want him out and about just yet," she replied in a kind voice, offering a smile. "Why don't you three come over to our apartment? You're also welcome to join us, Detective Taylor. John and Caira would love to see you."

Danny nodded, but Mac shook his head, "I have plans, but I'll visit another day," he promised, not wanting to say that he was going to visit Flack to discuss the Dr. Pride situation, as Miami had put her under house arrest at a doctor's urging and she was being visited and supervised by MDPD personnel.

"Right, we all have duties to attend to, so let's get this done," the Commissioner spoke up formally.

The ceremony went rather quickly and when the presentation of the award was complete, Danielle gave a short interview to Reed, posed for a photo with Jimmy and the Commissioner, and then everyone left as quickly as they had come, including Danielle and Bosco. Danny walked off with Danielle and Bosco to plan their evening, Jimmy, Jason Christopher, and the Commissioner quickly went back to work, but Mac silently stole off on his own in the privacy of his vehicle to visit Flack. Having the day off helped.

Flack was home, as he had promised, and his place smelled of cleaning fluids and spray, but Mac didn't comment because he wasn't going to judge Flack's attempt to make his life more tolerable. Flack himself was seated on the couch, wearing slacks, a loose shirt, and watching the news while eating a bowl of yogurt and drinking some apple juice, "Don," Mac spoke as he entered the apartment through the door using the spare key he had gotten from Sully. "I thought I'd visit and return your spare key."

Sighing, Flack set the food on the table and turned off the news, "I signed up for nightshifts for a while so you and your team can have a break from me," he explained softly. "Boscorelli thought it might be best too and signed off on the paperwork. I caused a lot of hurt with my behavior...including to Bobby."

Mac looked surprised, "You should tell Boscorelli about what you've been going through," he replied.

"He said _enough _during the intervention he and John Sullivan staged for me when I showed up at Rose Boscorelli's bar," Flack spoke quietly. "I was out of control, out of line, and I have to simply accept that I'm a screw up and just live with it. Boscorelli's been through too much to put up with my crap."

Mac frowned, "Or maybe you just need a special duty assignment," he replied calmly, sitting in a chair to give Flack some space. "Miami's told me that Doctor Pride was released from the hospital, but she's under house arrest protection until someone from New York can come and take the responsibility."

A distressed expression crossed Flack's face, "I doubt anyone would want me near that case considering Jess was killed and it wasn't a secret we were dating," he said softly. "I...I think it would be a very..."

"In having a relationship with Detective Angell, you also developed a relationship with Doctor Pride and I doubt she's comfortable with anyone in Miami right now considering her interactions with Lieutenant Caine while in Vegas last year," Mac explained softly. "Whatever happened recently didn't help."

Flack sighed, "Boscorelli's gonna fire me if I take off," he replied. "I...and Miami's not fond of me."

"I'll talk to Sergeant Boscorelli," Mac promised calmly. "Don, _please_, this is important."

Flack finally nodded, "On my dime?" he asked quietly, sighing. "I'll also get a hotel."

"I'll help you get everything sorted," Mac replied in a kind voice, offering Flack a smile.

* * *

_**Jackson Hospital – Miami, Florida**_

Nick Stokes was resting on a couch in the hallway with scrub pants, slippers, and a housecoat keeping him warm with the gown, but he looked anything but comfortable. He was still very much in shock about James showing up, mentioning that Grissom was dying, and then taking off with Alexx and Ryan. His own body, his own weakness, had made him unable to help. His only company was a loaded IV pole.

The sight of Horatio, Speed, and Jesse coming down the hallway caused Nick to sigh. Uniforms had shown up and cordoned off the room after medical staff had moved him outside and made sure he was comfortable, "Hi," Nick spoke softly as the three approached him. "It's been a _really_ long day."

"I can imagine," Horatio spoke calmly. "Speed, Jesse, can you process the room, please?"

Tim and Jesse nodded and silently went into the room while Horatio joined Nick on the couch, "I'm not sure what to say," Nick spoke shakily. "He told me that if I called for help, Grissom would die and Grissom handed himself to McKeen for me. I don't want Grissom to die...but I just let them go..."

"You aren't well," Horatio spoke gently, giving Nick a kind look. "To try and stop them would have hurt you or even gotten you killed. When I was held prisoner in Vegas, I wanted very much to fight back against those who hurt me, but I wasn't in the best shape and knew it would get me killed faster."

Nick looked surprised, but didn't say anything, "James Scott...I didn't know he stayed in Miami after helping Darin Mitchell shoot up that hotel," he finally spoke tiredly. "I...I watch the news a lot at night when I'm up with insomnia. What Warrick did when he was alive...Did you hear about Derek?"

Horatio shook his head, his expression concerned, "I don't know how Derek got here, but he was found unconscious and they found he had low blood sugar and a pretty serious brain tumor," Nick spoke in a hollow voice. "It may have explained his violent personality..."

"I heard your mother mention Derek in the cafeteria and I was confused," Horatio admitted. "I..."

Nick sighed, "He's not doing well," he replied softly, sighing. "Between the diabetes and tumor, he's on a vent and my parents told me cause I begged them to. I...it's so hard...I should hate the guy's guts..."

"I know how you feel," Horatio spoke gently, sighing. "When it comes to brothers..."

Nick nodded and yawned tiredly, a hand on his abdomen because it was beginning to ache from sitting up for so long, "Hey, you okay?" Horatio asked in a concerned voice, frowning at Nick worriedly.

"I'm just not used to sitting up," Nick spoke quietly, closing his eyes. "I'm starting to hurt..."

Horatio quickly got off the couch and lifted Nick's legs so he could lie down, "Why don't you try to get some rest?" he suggested in a concerned voice. "I'll go see a nurse about getting you another bed."

Nick sighed and closed his eyes wearily while Horatio went off in search of the nurse's station.

* * *

"Dad?"

Rick, who had gone straight to bed after breakfast and medicine, groaned sleepily as he laid in the master bedroom of the basement suite in Bobby and Natalia's home, "Yeah?" he asked groggily.

"Doctor Speedle is on the phone," Lenny's voice spoke in a quiet voice. "Are you awake?"

Groaning, Rick woke and slowly sat up, "Yeah," he replied, sighing as he took the phone. "Hello?"

"_Sergeant Stetler, this is Doctor Speedle_," Emily spoke calmly. "_I got you assigned to a therapist for your assessment. Her name is Doctor Shannon Higgins and she's a colleague of mine, so she'll treat you fairly..."_

Rick sighed, "Maybe I should just quit," he replied tiredly. "Nothing came of the statement I gave about being choked at the hospital and we all know every department hates me. I have a kid to think about and support, so maybe I should just go back to doing security at a casino or the bars. It's less pay..."

Lenny sat on the edge of the bed, listening intently as his father spoke on the phone. His heart hurt because he knew his father wasn't being treated well by MDPD, "_Rick, I know it doesn't look good for you, but I'm finding all the loopholes I can to give you as fair a chance as possible_," Emily spoke on the phone in a concerned voice. "_I managed to already find one because you're on paid leave..._"

"I appreciate that more that you'll ever know, too," Rick replied softly. "Still, quitting might be easier."

A sigh filled the phone, "_Just give the assessment a fair shot and I'll do my best to at least keep you within the department even if you lose your position_," Emily spoke quietly. "_Doctor Higgins will call you soon about appointments, all right? I'll try and advocate for you with the Chief in the meantime_."

"Thanks," Rick replied, his tone resigned because he figured it wouldn't help. "See you later."

Before Emily could reply, Rick ended the call, "You should take that back upstairs to your aunt and uncle," Rick spoke in a quiet voice, handing the phone back to Lenny. "Don't tell them what you heard, okay?"

Lenny took the phone and silently moved out of the room, but Rick was prevented from going back to sleep because his cell, which was on the bedside table, suddenly rang, "Hello?" he said, answering it.

"_Rick, help_..." Ryan spoke in a shaky whisper. "_They have Alexx and I in some sort of...AH_!"

There was a crash, "_Who's this_?" a rough voice suddenly asked. "_Someone named Rick_?"

"Rick Stetler," Rick spoke in a quiet voice, frowning. "I heard Ryan Wolfe on the phone, did I not?"

A chuckle filled the phone, "_I heard Catherine complain about you enough,_" the voice replied. "_I know from her chatty nature that you used to work with Jim Brass and Gil Grissom. Do you miss them?_"

"Who are you?" Rick asked in a groggy voice, his eyes narrowing. "Why did Ryan call me?"

Panicked yelling suddenly filled the phone, followed by a thump, "_Ryan_!" Alexx's voice suddenly yelled.

"_Come to Highway Marker 142 near the Glades_," the voice replied. "_And I'll let you see Ryan and Gil, but you better not bring any of your little CSI friends with you. I'll be there until sundown_..."

The call ended and Rick stared at the phone before slowly getting out of bed and getting into appropriate street clothes that covered his past scars. He pocketed his phone and wallet before slipping his off-duty weapon into his pants. He was exhausted, but he had to protect Ryan, Gil, and Dr. Woods simply because he had nothing to lose. Lenny was safe with relatives and his job was on the verge of vanishing.

Taking great care to be quiet, Rick went upstairs and the house was very quiet. He could hear talking upstairs, so he assumed that everyone was up there doing day-to-day things, which helped him a lot. He silently got the keys to his rattletrap car off the hook and slipped outside to make a quick getaway.

As Rick dragged himself to his car, got in, and took off, he didn't notice that Lenny was sitting in the hallway upstairs and had seen his car leave. Lenny felt deeply unsettled, as he had a feeling that his dad was in trouble, "Hey Uncle Bobby, my dad just left in his car," he spoke in an uneasy, quiet voice.

Almost immediately, Natalia came into view and frowned when she saw Lenny looking out the window with a worried expression on his face, "I just saw my dad's car take off," Lenny explained worriedly.

Natalia's concern grew when she saw that Rick's car wasn't in the driveway and she quickly led Lenny back to the upstairs playroom where Robert was sitting on the couch, watching BJ, Maggie, and Adam play with various toys, "Bobby, Rick's car is gone and Lenny saw him leave," she spoke worriedly.

"_What_?" Robert replied in a concerned voice, frowning. "Rick...he was sleeping down in his and Lenny's suite."

Lenny sighed, "I heard his cell ring as I was coming back up," he spoke worriedly. "Is he okay?"

"Come sit with me," Robert spoke, patting the couch. "Natalia, can you phone my uncle?"

Lenny sat as Natalia got her phone out and quickly dialed Horatio's private number simply because they didn't yet know if it was safe to involve more than their inner circle. What exactly was Rick up to?

* * *

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